Reviewer's Choice

Staying Alive: How to Act Fast and Survive Deadly Encounters is a practical-minded guide to
preparing and strategizing to protect human lives against the worst possible situations - from
violent or armed attackers to fires and car accidents. Chapters discuss the value of "natural
surveillance" (making areas open to co-worker's, local residents' or public view, since potential
criminals are more strongly discouraged by physical witnesses than surveillance cameras), the
"broken window" problem (automobiles in disrepair, vandalized property, etc. is more likely to
attract crime), the importance of training security people in pattern recognition to spot
individuals who just aren't acting normally, the extreme lifesaving value of creating emergency
plans and drilling in them, the concept of "satisficing" (acting quickly on the first option with a
reasonable chance for success can be more likely to save lives than delaying for precious seconds
to evaluate all options), why names should not be prominently displayed in reserved parking lots
(potential attackers can use them to locate and ambush their victims) and much more. An
absolute "must-have" for anyone responsible for the security of a school or workplace, Staying
Alive is also packed with invaluable, crisis-tested wisdom for readers of all walks of life.
"Another concept that many experts find to be troubling is training people to run in a zigzag
fashion if they are being shot at... a gunman actually has a higher hit rate when victims try to flee
in this fashion."

"If There's Squash Bugs in Heaven, I Ain't Staying: Learning to Make the Perfect Pie, Sing When
You Need to and Find the Way Home With Farmer Evelyn" by Stacia Spragg-Braude is an
occasionally illustrated, 199 page biography of Evelyn Curtis Losack who was born on her
family's 150-year-old farm some 85 years ago in Corrales, New Mexico. This is the homespun
history of a woman with an obvious and welcome knack for storytelling. This is a a compendium
of delightfully candid and highly entertaining personal stories of Losack's life and work through
the seasons of the year and the seasons of her life. Of special note are two photographs. A
black-and-white of Losack on a tractor at the age of 15, and on the opposing page, a full color
photography of Losack atop a tractor at the age of 80. An extraordinary, original, and thoroughly
enjoyable read, "If There's Squash Bugs in Heaven, I Ain't Staying" is very highly recommended
and would make an enduringly popular addition to community library collections.

A meadow is a field habitat vegetated by primarily grass and other non-woody plants (grassland).
Meadows have ecological importance because their open, sunny areas attract and support flora
and fauna that couldn't thrive in other conditions. Meadows may be naturally occurring or
artificially created from cleared shrub or woodland. They often host a multitude of wildlife,
providing areas for courtship displays, nesting, gathering food or sometimes sheltering if the
vegetation is high enough. Many meadows support a wide array of wildflowers, which makes
them of utmost importance to insects like bees, pollination, and hence the entire ecosystem. In
agriculture, a meadow is grassland which is not regularly grazed by domestic livestock, but rather
allowed to grow unchecked in order to produce hay. Especially in the United Kingdom and
Ireland, the term meadow is commonly used in its original sense to mean a hay meadow,
signifying grassland mown annually in the summer for making hay. "The Meadow: An English
Meadow Through the Seasons" by nature photographer Barney Wilczak is a beautifully
illustrated, 128 page compendium of stunning full color photographs showcasing the flora and
fauna of a British meadow. A delight to simply browse through one glorious image at a time,
"The Meadow: An English Meadow Through the Seasons" is superbly organized into chapters
showcasing spring flowers, birds and their habitats, orchids, invertebrates, even seeds and fruits.
Of special note are the chapters dedicated to 'Maintenance' and 'How You Can Help'. Very highly
recommended reading, "The Meadow: An English Meadow Through the Seasons" would make a
enduringly popular addition to community library collections.

Compiled with commentary by Fred Demara, "Eating on the Run: Survival Foraging for Plants,
Grasses, Nuts, and Berries" is a superbly organized and presented 144 page compendium of
edible plants that grow wild and can readily be gathered in their proper seasons. Illustrated
throughout with black-and-white photography, "Eating on the Run: Survival Foraging for Plants,
Grasses, Nuts, and Berries" is an ideal survivalist manual that is impressively 'user friendly'.
Highly recommended for personal, family, and community library collections, "Eating on the
Run: Survival Foraging for Plants, Grasses, Nuts, and Berries" would also prove to be a useful
instructional guide for hunters, fishermen, and outdoor recreational enthusiasts.

YOU ARE HERE: FROM THE COMPASS TO GPS, THE HISTORY AND FUTURE OF
HOW WE FIND OURSELVES comes from an award-winning journalist who documents many
achievements relating to maps, satellites, and the human history of finding a way through the
world, and is a lively consideration of how we've come to modern times and tracking devices that
are making 'getting lost' increasingly difficult. From old styles of guidance relying on radio and
beacons to surveillance satellites that map the world, YOU ARE HERE provides a powerful
survey recommended for a wide audience of general readers, from those interested in travel and
geography to any who want a review of contemporary pathways.

The Parenting Shelf

The Conversation Train uses a color picture book format and the metaphor of a train to teach the
basics of conversation to children with autism spectrum disorders, and is recommended for any
parent who wants to reach ages 5-13. The photos of trains pair with tips for developing
conversational skills, blank worksheets and coloring pages, and exercises designed to engage
youngsters in learning the rudiments of interaction processes. Parents will find this a fine
teaching tool.

The Myth of the Spoiled Child: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom about Children and
Parenting debunks the downside of spoiling a child and points out the problems in approaches
that are lean on rewards and affirmations, illustrating why it's more important to establish
positive reinforcements for kids. Chapters discuss how to involve children in decision-making
processes rather than lessons learned through deprivation, and show how kids can, rather, absorb
more positive lessons on handling issues in their world. The result is a fine survey recommended
for any parent concerned about childrearing and mental health.

The Fashion Shelf

Decades of Hats: 1900s to the 1970s is a pick for collections strong in fashion history, and covers
vintage women's hats and styles. Reproductions from vintage catalogs accompany surveys of
some seven decades of style in a guide packed with color ads and accompanying description of
the hats. The result is a lovely array of hats that traces their evolution over seventy years, and
which provides authentic pieces for costume planners as well as hat collectors.

The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish discusses a group of
women in the first half of the 20th century - 'Dress Doctors' - who taught American women how
to dress and fostered a nationwide movement on fashion. The Dress Doctors were based in Home
Economics and Retailing departments across the country and provided advice on radio shows and
in magazines: yet today their message and importance has all but faded. That's why The Lost Art
of Dress is so important: it documents these women and their achievements in the course of
adding another chapter in the chronicles of American fashion. No collection strong in style and
fashion history should be without this!

Forbidden Fashions: Invisible Luxuries in early Venetian Convents is especially recommended
for any collection strong in costume design and fashion history in Europe, and offers an
examination of nuns in early modern Venice who used the meaning of secular clothes and fabrics
to rebel against the rules of their lives. Archival documents were used to create the first book to
focus on the dress of nuns in Venetian convents: chapters discuss period trends, use documents,
engravings, and literature as well as the arts to explore how these nuns lived in luxurious
clothing, and blends academic research with a lively format to make the results accessible to
general-interest arts and history readers alike. A fine recommendation for any interested in the
evolution of costumes and the attire of nuns.

The Computer Shelf

The Principles of Object-Oriented JavaScript explores JavaScript's unique language and key
attributes, offering assessments of what makes its functions outstanding and how to apply them
when creating objects. From working with prototypes and inheritance patterns to understanding
the basics of how objects work in the JavaScript environment, this is packed with ideas for
writing better code, and is a 'must' for any programmer who wants a closer inspection of
JavaScript objects and their environment.

The second updated edition of Practical Algorithms for 3D Computer Graphics is a pick for
college-level computer science and engineering collections and covers the basic algorithms that
lie at the heart of all 3D computer graphics software packages. It shows how to use Core
OpenGL and Open GL ES to create programs for 3D computer animation, modeling and
processes and it includes several new chapters covering real-time 3D programming, 3D graphics
for mobile devices, and more. New topics such as marching cubes, more source code for the
algorithms, and plenty of black and white images and code throughout make this a fine technical
coverage for any studying 3D design and products.

Improving the Test Process: Implementing Improvement and Change - a Study Guide for the
ISTQB Expert Level Module covers the syllabus for the "Improving the Test Process" module of
the International Software Testing Qualifications Board, and provides a detailed survey of how
the test improvement process works and what's involved in the improvement assessment effort.
Chapters can be used in preparation for taking the ISTQB expert level exam and as a guide for
test professionals looking to improve their skills, and provide review questions to accompany
chapter explanations, real-world examples, key definitions, and more.

The Health/Medicine Shelf

END OF LIFE CARE: A GUIDE FOR THERAPISTS, ARTISTS AND ARTS THERAPISTS
describes ways therapists and artist therapists can offer their services in end of life care settings
from outpatient services to care homes, and includes tips for all kinds of illness including
dementia. It covers everything from policies and teamwork to methods of working within
different contexts to offer emotional support for dying patients and their caregivers. From how
multi-disciplinary work can aid families to understanding the wider-ranging issues involved at
end of life, this is a powerful survey packed with tips any therapist will consider practical and
essential.

The Chlorine Revolution: Water Disinfection and the Fight to Save Lives details how drinking
water evolved in the early 20th century so that it was no longer a dangerous killer - by
disinfecting public water systems with chlorine. At the heart of the effort was a physician who
partnered with sanitary engineer George W. Fuller to plan, build and operate the first such
large-scale drinking water disinfection system in the U.S. There's a lot of misinformation on the
records about how this all came about and the name of Dr. John L. Leal has all but been lost to
history: The Chlorine Revolution remedies this by offering a lively, powerful story of how
chlorine changed the face of drinking water and made it safe for all. It deserves a place in any
health or social issues history holding.

Acupuncture: An Anatomical Approach appears in its second updated edition to provide a key
reference for any medicine collection or practitioner concerned with the therapy and applications
of acupuncture. It presents a scientific, anatomically-based approach to acupuncture and
discusses acupuncture points, pain measurement and management, and clinical applications from
easy cases to challenging. Health professionals will find here all the basics needed to understand
how acupuncture works and its possibilities, especially for relieving chronic and acute pain.

Flying-Foxes: Australian Night Foresters is an astounding blend of vivid, full-color photography
and brief essays about Australia's Grey-headed Flying-fox, a large, furry, fruit-eating bat that
plays a vital role in local forest ecology. Author and photographer Vivien Jones has spent over
twenty years studying this intriguing species, and refining her methods for capturing moments on
their lives on camera without disturbing them. The wondrous images show fruit bats on the wing,
at the roost, giving birth and caring for their young (which must cling to the mother with their
claws during their early life), and much more. The text is thoroughly accessible to readers of all
backgrounds, and provides context for these hardworking fruit bats and the beautiful wilderness
they call home. "The most pressing danger is of flying-foxes becoming functionally extinct. That
is, their numbers could dwindle to leave only small groups surviving in fixed areas of reliable
food such as parks and gardens in big cities. Flying-foxes would no longer carry out their
functions in the forests. Large numbers of them are necessary to force them to keep circulating
throughout their range, doing their forestry work as they eat." Flying-Foxes: Australian Night
Foresters is a captivating treasury from cover to cover, highly recommended for public library
collections or as a giftbook for anyone fascinated by bats.

Marine scientist Stephen Palumbi (Professor of Biology, Stanford University) and his science
writer son Anthony Palumbi present The Extreme Life of the Sea, an extraordinary survey of the
ocean's most unusual lifeforms, accessible to scientists and lay readers alike. A handful of
black-and-white photographs (and an inset selection of color plates) embellish this descriptive
examination of flying fish, predatory fish who use biological searchlights to identify food,
seahorses raised in the pouch of their male parent, humpback whales whose adaptive flippers
provided the inspiration for a more effective commercial fan blade, and much more. Extensive
notes and an index round out this fascinating account, enthusiastically recommended for public
and college library collections alike.

Nomenclature is a system of names or terms, or the rules for forming these terms in a particular
field of arts or sciences. The principles of naming vary from the relatively informal conventions
of everyday speech to the internationally-agreed principles, rules and recommendations that
govern the formation and use of the specialist terms used in scientific and other disciplines.
Compiled by the collaborative efforts of ornithologists James Sandrock and Jean C. Prior, "The
Scientific Nomenclature of Birds in the Upper Midwest" is a 192 page compendium comprised
of an informative Introduction; an alphabetically presented list of some 450 birds (each entry
including their scientific, common, local and regional names); Biographies; a Selected
Bibliography; and Index of Common Names; and an Index of Species Names. Highly
recommended for personal, community, and academic library Ornithological Studies reference
collections, it should be noted that "The Scientific Nomenclature of Birds in the Upper Midwest"
is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.99).

Christine M. Egger, et.al.'s PAIN MANAGEMENT IN VETERINARY PRACTICE
(9780813812243) provides veterinarians with the information needed to manage pain in a range
of large, small or exotic animals in a clinical setting, and provides the latest research and
information on pain management. From in-depth details on pharmacokinetic characteristics of
drugs to the latest techniques for physical therapy, acupuncture and nutrition, this reviews all
resources in the animal pain management world and provides practical management tips. The
result is a fine survey highly recommended for any working with animals. Also recommended is
Amy Johnson's SMALL ANIMAL PATHOLOGY FOR VETERINARY TECHNICIANS
(9781118434215), which focuses on small animal diseases and how technicians can use
pathology technology in the clinic. From basic terminology to diagnosis, chapters arranged by
system cover anatomy, lab and clinical practices, and how the issues involved in handling small
animals with different kinds of diseases. Each provides descriptions, causes, and clinical signs
for each, pairing information with color photos throughout in an excellent basic reference for any
vet technician or student. And, let's not leave out Chiara Noli, et.al.'s VETERINARY ALLERGY
(9780470672419), the first in-depth reference considering all aspects of veterinary allergy in all
species and body systems. From clinical presentation and treatment to allergic diseases, science
and references for specialists and researchers, and chapters written by experts, this provides a
powerful and highly recommended veterinary exploration that any clinician or vet student must
have in their reference collections.

The Autism Shelf

The Wonderful World of Work: A Workbook for Asperteens is meant as a consumable resource
for teenagers with Asperger's syndrome (a high-functioning form of autism) preparing to enter
the workforce. There are sections that prompt the reader to write answers to the question in the
book, such as "list some work-related skills you may have discovered you have." Most of The
Wonderful World of Work is straightforward instruction, walking the reader through the basics
of applying for a job, and the responsibilities of daily work, with a particular awareness of the
unique challenges that those with Asperger's syndrome face. "If you cannot structure your time or
have difficulties remembering tasks, write everything down! If prioritizing tasks is difficult for
you, you can initially ask your manager to help you." A user-friendly resource presented in plain
terms, by an author who has been diagnosed with Asperger's herself (Jeanette Purkis, a policy
adviser for the Australian Public Service), The Wonderful World of Work is highly
recommended.

The Independent Woman's Handbook for Super Safe Living on the Autistic Spectrum provides a
fine handbook for independent women who want to understand common safety issues and how to
identify risks to personal safety. It covers everything from friendships to sex and employment,
includes online safety as well as personal interactions, and comes from an author who is 26 years
old and on the autistic spectrum herself. From when to talk to a date about autism to engaging
friends in a previously arranged 'alert system', this is packed with practical approaches the author
uses in her own struggles with autism and the wider world.

ROADFOOD appears in its ninth updated edition and continues to provide a coast-to-coast guide
to some 900 regional specialties and cuisine ranging from highway diners to lobster shacks, and
is a top pick for any who want to explore dining spots along America's roadways. From the 100
most-visit tops accessible to road trips to the latest details on restaurant hours, websites, phones
and fare, this compiles mouth-watering details on food destinations many would otherwise drive
right by, making it a 'must' especially recommended for cross-country road travelers.

ITALIAN WAYS; ON AND OFF THE RAILS FROM MILAN TO PALERMO comes from an
author who rode the rails o Italy from Verona to Milan and beyond, traveling the country top to
bottom and encountering all manner of people, from scholars and conductors to priests and more.
His focus, on capturing the distinctive lives of Italy's people, makes for a lively armchair travel
journey that will simply delight any interested in Italian culture and journeys.

HIKING OHIO is for any who would visit Ohio or enjoy hiking its various areas, and packs in
some 83 day hikes across the state. GPS coordinates for every hike, phone numbers, websites,
park hours, and facilities accompany maps for all parks and trails and features on its history and
terrain. With all the details packed into one book, it's easy for any visitor or resident to locate the
perfect outdoor day trip for nearly any purpose, making this a 'must' for travelers who would
locate and enjoy specific outdoors areas in the state.

The Psychology Shelf

Psychology is an academic and applied discipline that involves the scientific study of mental
functions and behaviors. Psychology has the immediate goal of understanding individuals and
groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases, and by many
accounts it ultimately aims to benefit society. In this field, a professional practitioner or
researcher is called a psychologist and can be classified as a social, behavioral, or cognitive
scientist. Psychologists attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and
social behavior, while also exploring the physiological and biological processes that underlie
cognitive functions and behaviors. Psychologists explore concepts such as perception, cognition,
attention, emotion, phenomenology, motivation, brain functioning, personality, behavior, and
interpersonal relationships, including psychological resilience, family resilience, and other areas.
Psychologists of diverse orientations also consider the unconscious mind. Psychologists employ
empirical methods to infer causal and correlational relationships between psychosocial variables.
In addition, or in opposition, to employing empirical and deductive methods, some - especially
clinical and counseling psychologists - at times rely upon symbolic interpretation and other
inductive techniques. Psychology has been described as a "hub science", with psychological
findings linking to research and perspectives from the social sciences, natural sciences, medicine,
and the humanities, such as philosophy. "The Psychology Book: From Shamanism to
Cutting-Edge Neuroscience, 250 Milestones in the History of Psychology" by Wade E. Pickren
(Director of the Center for Faculty Excellence; Editor of 'History of Psychology'; and former
Historian of the American Psychological Association ) is a profusely illustrated, 528 page
compendium comprising a superbly organized and presented chronological history of psychology
from antiquity down to the present time. A truly impressive and 'reader friendly' encyclopedic
work, "The Psychology Book: From Shamanism to Cutting-Edge Neuroscience, 250 Milestones
in the History of Psychology" is especially recommended for school, community, and college
library Psychology reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It will also prove to be
ideal for non-specialist general readers with an interest in the history and concepts of
psychology.

Motivation is the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something; the act or
process of motivating someone; the condition of being eager to act or work : the condition of
being motivated; a force or influence that causes someone to do something. To be truly effective
within the framework of daily life, human motivations require directive restraint and focus -- in
short, regulating both internally (self directed) or externally (through societal laws or cultural
norms). Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by the team of Joeseph P. Forgas (Scientia
professor of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney) and Eddie Harmon-Jones
(Professor of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney), "Motivation and Its
Regulation: The Control Within" is a 398 page compendium comprised of an informative
introduction followed by nineteen seminal research papers given at The Sydney Symposium of
Social Psychology. Organized into four major sections: Introduction and Basic Issues; Affective
Mechanisms and Affect Control; Approach and Avoidance Processes in Social Motivation;
Interpersonal, Social and Cultural Implications. Very strongly recommended as a significant and
important addition to academic library Psychology Studies reference collections and
psychological studies supplemental reading lists, it should be noted that "Motivation and Its
Regulation: The Control Within" is also available in both a hardcover edition (9781848725614,
$150.00) and a Kindle edition ($47.96).

Carl Gustav Jung (26 July 1875 - 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist who
founded analytical psychology. Jung proposed and developed the concepts of extraversion and
introversion; archetypes, and the collective unconscious. His work has been influential in
psychiatry and in the study of religion, philosophy, archeology, anthropology, literature, and
related fields. He was a prolific writer, many of whose works were not published until after his
death. Featuring a new and informative introduction by Kevin Lu, "Analytical Psychology" is a
240 page compendium comprised of five lectures on analytical psychology given by Jung in 1935
at the Tavistock Clinic in London, England. Of special note are the inclusions of the questions
posed to Jung at the end of each lecture, some by leading psychoanalysts of the day. Essential
reading of all students of Jung and his work, "Analytical Psychology" is very highly
recommended for academic library Psychology Studies reference collections and supplemental
reading lists. It should be noted that "Analytical Psychology" is also available in a hardcover
edition (Kessinger Publishing, 9781163460672, $39.96) and a Kindle edition ($4.88).

Ha! The Science of When We Laugh and Why comes from a cognitive neuroscientist, Scott
Weems, who probes the psychological experience of humor and how it relates to handling
complex messages. His own research as well as that of other cognitive scientists, psychologists
and linguists blend in a survey of how humor responds to conflict in the brain - and how it can
help resolve social and psychological issues alike. In considering what purpose humor serves,
underlying social issues as well as insights into physical and psychological well-being are probed
in a fine addition to any social issues and psychological collection and many a general-interest
library.

MENTAL BIOLOGY: THE NEW SCIENCE OF HOW THE BRAIN AND MIND RELATE
focuses on how the mind emerges from nerve impulse patterns in the brain - and why
consciousness therefore can be seen as a neural-activity-based entity in its own right. Many
would argue that consciousness and thinking and free will aren't real: here is evidence showing
that mental creativity and choice are indeed real - and it explains brain-based differences between
the nonconscious, unconscious and conscious minds. Even readers with little science background
will find this an accessible important survey that lends key insights into the nature of the human
mind.

The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Making Sense of Sex: Attitudes Towards Sexuality in Early Jewish and Christian Literature
offers an unusual focus on what ancient authors had to say about sex in early Judaism and
Christianity, and offers a summary and conclusion to Loader's five previous books on sexuality.
As such it's recommended not for health or social issues collections (as one might expect from its
title), but for spirituality holdings interested in scholarship and college-level reading about
ancient texts. The result is a very fine account that will please any interested in early Biblical
attitudes and writers.

MINDFUL ANGER: A PATHWAY TO EMOTIONAL FREEDOM comes from a therapist who
demonstrates that anger is a good, healthy emotion - when expressed in a productive and
appropriate manner - and offers keys around learning concepts and practices relating to
mindfulness surrounding anger. From identifying a personal anger style to managing it,
MINDFUL ANGER is filled with insights on myths surrounding anger's origins and arguments
on breaking old habits and handling false perceptions about anger. Psychology collections will
find this a key acquisition.

The Christian Studies Shelf

Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, becoming, existence, or reality, as
well as the basic categories of being and their relations. Traditionally listed as a part of the major
branch of philosophy known as metaphysics, ontology deals with questions concerning what
entities exist or can be said to exist, and how such entities can be grouped, related within a
hierarchy, and subdivided according to similarities and differences. The Christian doctrine of the
Trinity defines God as three consubstantial persons, expressions, or hypostases: the Father, the
Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit; "one God in three persons". The three persons are distinct, yet
are one "substance, essence or nature". In this context, a "nature" is what one is, while a "person"
is who one is. "Persons in Relation: An Essay on the Trinity and Ontology" by Najib George
Awad (Associate Professor of Christian Theology, Hartford Seminary, Connecticut) is a 272
page compendium presenting an erudite and informative analysis deftly organized into three
major sections: The Roots: Theology and the Question of Self in Modernity; The Challenge:
Trinitarian Theology and/in Postmodernity; The Proposal: Trinitarian Theology and
Postmodernity: In Correlation?. Of special note is Professor Awad's 'Conclusion: When
Theology Stands in History. Enhanced with the inclusion of an extensive Bibliography, as well as
indexes of Names and Subjects, "Persons in Relation: An Essay on the Trinity and Ontology" is a
seminal work of theological scholarship and very highly recommended for seminary and
academic library Christian Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should
be noted that "Persons in Relation: An Essay on the Trinity and Ontology" is also available in a
Kindle edition ($22.49).

The Society of Jesus is a Christian male religious congregation of the Catholic Church. The
members are called Jesuits. The society is engaged in evangelization and apostolic ministry in
112 nations on six continents. Jesuits work in education (founding schools, colleges, universities
and seminaries), intellectual research, and cultural pursuits. Jesuits also give retreats, minister in
hospitals and parishes and promote social justice and ecumenical dialogue. Among the tools
utilized by Jesuits in pursuit of their evangelical responsibilities is music. "Music As Cultural
Mission: Explorations Of Jesuit Practices In Italy And North America" is the ninth volume of the
outstanding Saint Joseph's University Press series 'Early Modern Catholicism and the Visual
Arts'. Ably co-edited by Anna Harwell Celenza and Anthony R. DelDonna, this 229 page
compendium is composed of an informative introduction (The Jesuits and Music), followed by
ten scholarly articles organized into two major sections: 'The Jesuit Cultural Mission in Early
Modern Italy' and 'The Jesuit Cultural Mission in North America'. Enhanced with the inclusion of
33 full color and black-white images, an extensive Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index,
"Music As Cultural Mission: Explorations Of Jesuit Practices In Italy And North America" is a
seminal body of extraordinary work and very highly recommended -- especially for academic
library Jesuit History and Musicology Studies reference collections and supplemental reading
lists.

"Mercy in the City" by Kerry Weber has to have one of the all time great subtitles: 'How to Feed
the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job'. This 160
page compendium is comprised of Kerry Weber (who is managing editor of the national Catholic
magazine 'America' and a lay volunteer with the Sister of Mercy where she has made a yearly
pledge to live a life of helping others through participation in the community, prayer, and the
pursuit of justice for those otherwise unable to attain it for themselves. Drawing from her
personal live experiences to provide 'real world' illustrative examples of Jesus' commission to his
followers to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit
the sick and the imprisoned, and to bury the dead. There is a renewed spirit of service sweeping
through the Catholic Church under the leadership of Pope Francis -- and "Mercy in the City: How
to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job" is
a simply wonderful expression of how to go about carrying out that commission to service in the
contemporary world of today. Highly recommended reading for Christians of all denominational
affiliations, it should be noted that "Mercy in the City: How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to
the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job" is also available in a Kindle edition
($9.39).

Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
www.orbisbooks.com

Deirdre Cornell's JESUS WAS A MIGRANT (9781626980402, $20.00) provides a reflection on
the life of the migrant and the Christian life, and considers how the suffering involved in a
migrant journey can result in blessings for all involved. It's a blend of personal experience,
pastoral theology and Christian thought and provides a simple yet eye-opening new way of
viewing the migrant and personal journeys through life and spirituality, and is a fine
recommendation for Christian readers and collections. Miguel A. De La Torre's DOING
CHRISTIAN ETHICS FROM THE MARGINS (9781626980754, $35.00) appears in its second
revised, expanded edition to help readers understand the basics of ethical theory and how it
applies to Christianity, and is recommended for scholarly collections. It comes from a professor
of social ethics and Latina/o studies and is packed with quotes and source material references as
it considers its subject from issues of war and global poverty to politics, business relationships,
and more. The result is a wide-ranging examination that offers a fine analysis perfect for any
Christian studies library.

The Judaic Studies Shelf

Mosheh ben Maimon (also known as Moses Maimonides) was a preeminent medieval Spanish,
Sephardic Jewish philosopher, astronomer and one of the most prolific and influential Torah
scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages. He was born in Cordoba (present-day Spain),
Almoravid Empire on Passover Eve, 1138, and died in Egypt on December 12, 1204. He is
believed to be buried in Tiberias. The Maimonides Heritage Center was established to
commemorate his legacy. He was a rabbi, physician, and philosopher in Morocco and Egypt.
Although his writings on Jewish law and ethics were met with acclaim and gratitude from most
Jews, even as far off as Iraq and Yemen, and he rose to be the revered head of the Jewish
community in Egypt, there were also vociferous critics of some of his writings, particularly in
Spain. Nevertheless, he was posthumously acknowledged to be one of the foremost rabbinical
arbiters and philosophers in Jewish history, his copious work comprising a cornerstone of Jewish
scholarship. His fourteen-volume Mishneh Torah still carries significant canonical authority as a
codification of Talmudic law. Rabbinic tradition has it that 613 commandments were given to
Moses on Mount Sinai, but it does not specify those included in the enumeration. Maimonides
methodically and artfully crafts a list of 613 commandments in a work that serves as a
prolegomenon to the Mishneh Torah. "Crafting the 613 Commandments" by Albert D. Friedberg
(a medieval Jewish literature scholar and expert on the work of Maimonides) is a 400 page
compendium comprised of an informative Introduction and analytical scholarship with respect to
Maimonides work on the enumeration, classification and formulation of the Scriptural
commandments. Enhanced with the inclusion of a thirty-seven page bibliography, a Citations
Index, and an Index of Names, "Crafting the 613 Commandments" is an extraordinary and
seminal work that is a critically important and highly recommended contribution to academic
library Judaic Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Yoga are the physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which aim at transforming
body and mind. The term denotes a variety of schools, practices and goals in Hinduism,
Buddhism and Jainism. The term yoga is derived from the literal meaning of "yoking together" a
span of horses or oxen, but came to be applied to the "yoking" of mind and body. "Mussar Yoga:
Blending an Ancient Jewish Spiritual Practice with Yoga to Transform Body and Soul" offers a
unique Judaic approach to yoga. This nicely illustrated, 224 page instruction manual will enable
the reader to 'explore the physical dimension of ethical behaviors and attitudes such as humility,
generosity, enthusiasm, and gratitude through yoga poses and the yogic practice of breath work.
Extraordinarily well written and presented, "Mussar Yoga: Blending an Ancient Jewish Spiritual
Practice with Yoga to Transform Body and Soul" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and enhanced with
the inclusion of four pages of Notes, a Glossary, and a roster of Resources, making it very highly
recommended for personal use and community library collections alike.

The Gardening Shelf

Homegrown Tea: An Illustrated Guide to Planting, Harvesting, and Blending Teas and Tisanes is
an unusual blend of gardening guide and cookbook and features some forty different tea plants to
use, paired with the author's paintings of plants and photos of the tea-making process. It provides
all the details on how to grow the plants, use them for medicine, and how to store them - and of
course offers many keys to enjoying homegrown tea. Because the emphasis is on growing and
harvesting, this is reviewed in our gardening section, but easily crosses over into food and wine
circles.

The Urban Gardener pairs fine color photos by Marianne Majerus with a practical guide to urban
gardening and considers how to design an urban space, whether you have a small yard, balcony,
courtyard, basement or even a roof. Sustainable gardening techniques are the focus of an urban
design title that shows how to use plants to define space and introduce color and interest. From
planting to irrigation and drainage, this includes coverage of practical matters from piping to
cleaning and security, and provides an excellent survey with the urban habitat in mind.

The Agriculture Shelf

An Introduction to Heritage Breeds provides a fine survey on raising rare-breed livestock and
poultry and is recommended for any collection strong in small animal management. Chapters
discuss the qualities of such breeds with an eye to determining which is right for a specific need,
and provide history, color photos, and discussions of behavior and small stock management on
farms and in small areas. From sheep and goats to poultry this considers different heritage breeds
and their qualities. The result is an excellent survey recommended for any who want to look into
heritage breeds.

The Cookbook Shelf

Kay K. Moss founded of the Eighteenth-Century Backcountry Lifeways Studies Program at the
Schiele Museum in Gastonia, North Carolina, and teaches open-hearth cookery at the John C.
Campbell Folk School. Drawing upon her many years of experience and expertise, Moss has
compiled with informative commentary the 288 page compendium "Seeking the Historical Cook:
Exploring Eighteenth-Century Southern Foodways" in which she presents authentic recipes from
the kitchens and hearths of the 1700s. Deftly organized into three major sections (Discovering
and Recreating: A Curious Cook, That Has a Good Fancy; Cookery Methods: This Most Noble
Art and Mystery; Collected Receipts: Foods of Our Ancestors). Each recipe is cited as to its
origin. Occasionally illustrated with black-and-white photos, "Seeking the Historical Cook:
Exploring Eighteenth-Century Southern Foodways" is enhanced with the inclusion of three
appendices, extensive notes, a selected bibliography, and a comprehensive index. Very highly
recommended for personal, community, and academic library Culinary History and Cookbook
collections, it should be noted that "Seeking the Historical Cook: Exploring Eighteenth-Century
Southern Foodways" is also available in a hardcover edition (9781611172591, $49.95).

The Homemade Flour Cookbook lives up to its title as a resource especially for cooks of all skill
and experience levels who choose to benefit from grinding their own flour. Homemade flour
fresher, allows for a wider variety of flavors and options, free from preservatives, and
surprisingly easy to make with the right tools. The Homemade Flour Cookbook covers at length
many different types of flour, from gluten-free grain flour (including flour from teff, brown rice,
amaranth, millet, quinoa, and more), to legume flour, nut/seed flour, and of course flour from
traditional grains. Full-color photographs illustrate many of the sample recipes, as well as the
step-by-step guidelines for creating usable flour from an extreme variety of plant sources. A
"must-have" for any aspiring baker interested in learning about culinary creations beyond
standard wheat flour!

Also available as an ebook, Keep Calm and Bake Cake is a pocket-sized, hardcover compendium
of 70 kitchen-tested cake and dessert recipes, embellished with charming and delightful
cake-centric quotes from famous people throughout history. "Where there is cake, there is hope.
And there is always cake. -Dean Koontz". The recipes include delights such as Chocolate Filigree
Cake, Honey and Yogurt Muffins, Pumpkin Teacake with Spiced Raisins, Christmas Pudding,
Raspberry and Vanilla Custard Tart, and much more. Keep Calm and Bake Cake makes a
wonderful mini-giftbook especially for pastry connoisseurs and gourmets!

Lavishly illustrated with full-color photography of its fluffy delights on every page,
Marshmallows: 100 Mouthwatering Marshmallow Treats lives up to its title with a medley of
easy-to-prepare, standout desserts. Recipes include Apple Betty Marshmallows,
Marshmallowtini, Chocolate Orange Melted Marshmallow Fondue, Baked S'mores, Lemon
Marshmallow Meringue Pie, and much more. Cooks of all skill and experience levels will learn
how to enjoy a beloved favorite confection in utterly scrumptious new ways!

Ms. American Pie: Buttery Good Pie Recipes and Bold Tales from the American Gothic House is
a distinctive pie cookbook from author Beth Howard, who has made pies at California's Malibu
Kitchen for celebrities, owns the famous American Gothic house in Iowa, and runs the "Pitchfork
Pie Stand" from the house's parlor every summer. She offers recipes for the best of the best
American pies, as well as words of encouragement - anyone can learn how to create and share
delicious pies that bring people together, or even heal wounded hearts. Full color photographs
and personal vignettes embellish the easy-to-follow recipes for basic pie dough (and step-by-step
instructions for forming pie latticework with it), Cinnamon Pie, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, S'More
Pie, Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust, Classic New York Cheesecake, and much more. A
"must-have" for dessert enthusiasts!

Food historian Paula Marcoux presents Cooking with Fire: From Roasting on a Spit to Baking in
a Tannur, Rediscovered Techniques and Recipes That Capture the Flavors of Wood-Fired
Cooking, a gorgeous compendium of authentic wood-fired cooking techniques and recipes,
adapted for modern-day use. From simple roasting on a stick to barbecue, griddles, wood-fired
ovens, and more, Cooking with Fire lives up to its title with delicious recipes and
safety-conscious, step-by-step instructions as well as exhaustively detailed, user-friendly guides
to suggested tools and techniques. A "must-have" for anyone interested in taking their baked,
broiled, and roasted recipes to the next level! Sample dishes include Protohistoric Multigrain
Flatbread, Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, Cajun Shrimp, Pide (made from leftover pizza dough,
cheese, and eggs), Roasted Tomatoes, and much more.

Almonds Every Which Way: More than 150 Healthy & Delicious Almond Milk, Almond Flour,
and Almond Butter Recipes lives up to its title for almond connoisseurs. To the kitchen basics of
lactose-free almond milk and gluten-free almond flour mix, to recipes suitable for all times of
day (Lacy Almond Crepes, Pumpkin-Almond Donut Muffins, Coconut-Almond Green Smoothie,
Almond Butter Chicken Salad, Chilled Strawberry Almond Soup, Almond-Crusted Salmon, and
much more), Almonds Every Which Way is an excellent, user-friendly recipe resource. Highly
recommended for almond lovers everywhere!

Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour and water, usually by baking. Throughout
recorded history it has been popular around the world and is one of humanity's oldest foods,
having been of importance since the dawn of agriculture. There are indefinitely many
combinations and proportions of types of flour and other ingredients, and also of radically
different traditional recipes and modes of preparation of bread. As a result one finds wide
varieties of types, shapes, sizes, and textures of breads in various regions. Bread may be leavened
by many different processes ranging from reliance on naturally occurring microbes (for example
in sourdough recipes) to high-pressure artificial aeration during preparation and/or baking.
However, some products simply are left unleavened, either for preference, or for traditional or
religious reasons. Many non-cereal ingredients may be included, ranging from fruits and nuts to
various fats. Commercial bread in particular commonly contains additives, some of them
non-nutritional, to improve flavor, texture, color, or shelf life. An artisan bread is one that has
been made by a culinary artist and intended for a discerning clientele and not as a mass market
offering. "Orwashers Artisan Bread: 100 Years of Techniques and Recipes" is a beautifully
illustrated, 224 page compendium that provides a history of Orwashers, a century old New York
artisan bakery that continues to have a dedicated customer base. Also included are original
recipes for a variety of artisan breads (including wine and beer breads), as well as techniques for
making bread from artisan starters. An impressive and instructive cookbook manual, "Orwashers
Artisan Bread" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, family, and community
library cookbook collections.

A profusely and beautifully illustrated, 264 page compendium of kitchen cook friendly recipes,
ideas, and instructions, "Sweet & Unique Cupcake Toppers" will enable even the most novice of
cupcake makers to turn out culinary gems in the form of delightful and delicious cupcakes
suitable for every party or celebratory event. Of special note are the chapters dedicated to
Fondant Basics; Fondant Coloring & Painting; Fondant Cutters & Tools. There is even a chapter
providing indispensable advice on displaying, packaging and shipping cupcakes! Packed with
fondant tutorials, practical tips, and innovative tricks of cupcake topping enhancements, "Sweet
& Unique Cupcake Toppers" is very highly recommended for personal, family, and professional
collections, and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library cookbook
shelves!

STUFFED: THE ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD book isn't your usually anticipated assembly
of tacos, stuffed potatoes and wraps: it ups the ante and takes the 'stuffed' notion a step further,
including new stuffings and new wraps to hold them, and is a pick for any who want different
fare. Such dishes as Parmesan Truffle French Fry Stuffed Burger and Goat Cheese and
Orange-Basil Stuffed Cherry Peppers, for example, aren't your usual fare - and many are as
simple as mixing a filling and stuffing it into vegetables or bread casings. With its range of
alternative dishes, this is a 'must' for any who want comfort food with a contemporary twist.

Alice's Eats: A Wonderful Cookbook provides a fine survey by cookbook authors who consider
the zany ingredients often referred to in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and will prove a fun
book for literary readers and cookbook enthusiasts looking for different recipes. The full text of
Alice's Adventures is included alongside recipes, photos, and new color illustrations of dishes
that range from Mock Turtle's Mock Turtle Soup to Cheshire Cat's Grainy Mustard Rarebit. The
result is a very fun collection, highly recommended for any cookbook fan and especially for those
who want to plan a menu around a literary theme.

Susan Sulich, Food Writer's THE WORLD'S BEST ASIAN NOODLE RECIPES: 125 GREAT
RECIPES FROM TOP CHEFS (9781937994204, $28.00) provides a fine survey of Asian noodle
dishes from across Asia - and original creations based on Asian noodles from chefs around the
world - and is a recommendation for any fascinated by Asian noodles. From a Tokyo Seafood
Ramen Soup to Cold Sesame Noodles and Beef with Black Bean Sauce, this pairs traditional
Asian ingredients with noodle bases for unusual impact, and is a pick for any who want
something familiar yet slightly different. Lindy Wildsmith & Valentina Sforza's CICCHETTI
AND OTHER SMALL ITALIAN PLATES TO SHARE (9781937994150, $28.00) provides a
fine gathering of bite-sized local Italian specialties, and pairs anecdotes, color photos and the
authors' knowledge of regional Italian cooking with dishes perfect for small bites. From a
'Maciotti' - Hot Polenta Flour Buns with Golden Raisins and Rosemary - to an unusual Fish
Empanadas and a homemade sweet, boozy Vov drink, this is packed with color photos and
insights on Italian food and drinks, and is a top pick for any Italian cook.

DOWN SOUTH: BOURBON, PORK, GULF SHRIMP & SECOND HELPINGS OF
EVERYTHING is written with Paula Disbrowe and packed with color photos throughout by
Chris Granger, and provides a fine survey of Southern cooking and regional dishes. From Spiced
Pecans to Watermelon Gazpacho with Crabmeat, this is packed with main courses and side
dishes alike, and offers local characters and color along with dishes that are intrinsic to Southern
cooking. The result is an inviting collection that any interested in Southern cooking will find
accessible and inviting.

Any with an interest in Southern classic cuisine will find this an excellent survey pairing menus
with wine recommendations and themed meals with a Southern flair for entertainment, and will
appeal to hosts who enjoy cooking for gatherings. It comes from a Georgia native and a veteran
journalist and includes wine pairings for dishes ranging from Jack Daniel's Peachy Rice Pudding
to Fresh Berries with Lemon-Scented Whipped Cream. It's also refreshing to note that Southern
wines are recommended; not your usual California or French fare. The result's an excellent pick
for any fan of Southern classic cuisine who wants ideas for entertainment, whether it be for
brunch or dinners.

Whisky: The Manual comes from an expert who considers the history, mystery, and uses of
whisky, and provides a fine guide especially recommended for novices just getting used to the
taste. From different styles and how best to appreciate them to cocktails and racy history from
around the world, this is much more than either a cookbook or a history title, covering whisky's
diverse uses and its interactions as a mixer. Any collection strong in cocktails and spirits in
general will find this a lively coverage of whisky's place in world history.

A la Mere de Famille: Recipes from the Beloved Parisian Confectioner offers the company's first
cookbook after some 250 years in business, and features a candy-shop window cover, embossed
lettering, and an enchanting format pairing nearly a hundred recipes for classic French candies
with discussions of formulas and baking perfect for novices and advanced confection-makers
alike. From truffles to ice cream, chapters offer a lovely compilation of A la Mere de Famille
favorites in an enticing and enchanting format made visually striking with photos by Jean Cazals
and illustrations by Sophie Pechaud and Jule Serre. No dessert cookbook collection should be
without this unique title!

The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Panthers Play for Keeps provides a fine Pru Marlowe Pet Noir mystery revolving around a
dogwalker who spots a body - and becomes involved in a real mystery. The young woman
appears to have been mauled by a wild cat, but service dog Spot seems to indicate otherwise.
With panther panic growing, it's up to Pru and her pets to uncover the roots of the attack before
someone else bites the dust. A fine, whimsical mystery will involve readers from beginning to
end!

A Guide for the Perplexed provides a fine novel centered around software developer and
businesswoman Josie, who has created the Genizah program - a digital archive that gathers and
organizes every moment of people's lives in the world's biggest virtual storage effort. What
evolves from her work is unexpected: a thriller story that blends high technology with family
concerns, historical precedent, and even religion. Josie's journey to Egypt to assist with the
Library of Alexandria's digital archiving efforts will change her life through unexpected cultural
interactions, a kidnapping, and the reality of a creation that could go awry if it fell into the wrong
hands. A gripping story evolves in a thriller that proves easy to enter and hard to put down.

The Needlecraft Shelf

Where in previous generations girls were taught to sew by their mothers, contemporary American
society with a majority of mothers now working out of the home those sewing skills are no
longer handed down within the home. That's why Jane Bolsover's instruction manual, "Sewing
School Basics" is needed to enable a new generation of women (and men!) to master the basic
skills of sewing by hand and by sewing machine. This profusely illustrated, 160 page
compendium is comprised of twelve structured 'workshops' that will provide thoroughly 'user
friendly' how-to instruction ranging from simple hand embroidery to complete dressmaking.
Enhanced with the inclusion of a pull-out section with full-size paper patterns for a jeans-style
skirt, an apron, a child's sun dress, a sleeveless dress, a pleated skirt, a baby's smocked dress, a
detachable collar, a bean bag, and a doorstop, "Sewing School Basics" is enthusiastically
recommended for anyone aspiring to master the art and craft of sewing. Also very highly
recommended is Jane Bolsover's earlier instruction manual, "Sewing Machine Basics: A
Step-by-step Course for First-Time Stitchers" (Cima Books, 9781907030734, $24.95,
160pp).

Quilting-on-the-Go: Taking It Further draws upon the time-friendly technique of creating large
quilts by breaking them down into more manageable sections, as originally revealed in author
Carolyn Forster's previous book titled Quilting-on-the-Go (9781935726050), and takes the
methodology to the next level. Topics covered include how to make blocks in multiple sizes,
break down borders and sashings/frames into smaller pieces that can be created anywhere, and
how to join independent pieces into a beautiful whole. Eleven projects in a variety of sizes from
6" to 25 1/2", step-by-step instructions clearly illustrated with full-color photographs and
diagrams, and a user-friendly introduction make Quilting-on-the-Go: Taking It Further a choice
pick for any quilter seeking to refine their skill and working knowledge!

Cuddly Knitted Animals is a step-by-step guide to making handcrafted knitted toy animals
suitable for gentle play or lighthearted inspiration. Charts, round-by-round instructions, and
full-color photographs as well as a thorough knitters' introduction, make Cuddly Knitted Animals
accessible to all skill and experience levels. A wonderful way to create distinctive and
memorable handcrafted gifts, Cuddly Knitted Animals is highly recommended as a supplement
to knitters' pattern and guide collections!

Stylish Dress Book: Wear With Freedom pairs color photos with pull-out patterns for nearly
thirty relaxed, comfortable dresses and tops, and while these pull-outs may not last the rigors of
library lending, they do provide needleworkers with clear diagrams and patterns to compliment
easy step-by-step instructions on how to make the garments. The result is a lovely book packed
with a range of styles perfect for those who want to recreate the relaxed fit and style of
contemporary Japanese garments.

Modern Hand Stitching: Dozens of Stitches with Creative Free-Form Variations offers some six
stitch chapters covering 39 stitches with dozens of variations for each, and is a special
recommendation for readers who want a sampler of ideas and step-by-step methods for recreating
them. Color photos capture every technique while colorful pages offer plenty of examples of their
different uses in art projects. The result is a colorful guide for any who would improve hand
stitching capabilities.

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Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss's THE BIG BOOK OF CROCHET (9781604684506, $19.99)
packs in over three hundred stitch examples and a unique format that includes color photo
close-ups of each stitch, and is a recommendation for any collection strong in crochet crafting.
Step-by-step instructions cover these stitches which range from easy to advanced, while swatches
for each show how they differ. They're also grouped by style for quick reference, with
instructions requiring only some basic knowledge of crochet abbreviations to prove satisfying.
Beginners now have a reference that embraces all kinds of crochet stitch work! Kim Diehl's
SIMPLE APPEAL: 14 PATCHWORK AND APPLIQUE PROJECTS FOR EVERYDAY
LIVING (9781604682971, $28.99) offers a new collection of quilts that use modern techniques
and fabrics based on traditional designs, and shows how to recreate motifs suitable for
decorating. From traditional patchwork to machine applique using different kinds of materials,
this covers a host of inviting projects, pairing patterns and full-page and smaller color photos
with materials lists, cutting directions, and more. The result is an excellent collection suitable for
any needlework library. Another new release highly recommended for quilters is Cheri Leffler's
ANIMAL PARADE: ADORABLE APPLIQUE QUILT PATTERNS FOR BABIES
(9781604682823, $26.99), which uses simple piecing with whimsical applique to make quilts for
children. From using fusible applique in animal shapes to creating patterns and colors kids will
love, this is filled with ideas and full-page patterns especially designed for babies. Karla
Alexander's STACK, SHUFFLE, AND SLIDE: A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR STACK THE
DECK QUILTS (97816046822359, $24.99) comes from an award-winning designer who offers a
new angle on her popular stack-cut-and-shuffle idea, adding the 'slide' to the routine to create a
new variety of quilts. 15 designs provide beginners to seasoned quilters with the basics of using a
new idea to create new blends of patterns and colors. Bright color photos throughout reinforce
this approach.

The Crafts Shelf

Sticky Fingers: DIY Duct Tape Projects is a hands-on guide to crafting a wide array of practical
projects, suitable for gifts or personal use. With simple, inexpensive materials such as colored
duct tape, duct tape fabric, fold-over strips, etc. and tools such as scissors and dry-erase markers,
it's possible to handcraft everything from wallets and purses to desk organizers, checkerboards,
earring trees (a colorful stand to hold earrings), lanyards, and much more. Step-by-step
instructions, an estimated difficulty level and required time for each project, and full-color
photographs on every page make Sticky Fingers a snap to use for hobbyists of all ages and
backgrounds, including young adults!

Karin Van Voorhees, COMPILER'S STYLISH JEWELRY YOUR WAY: DESIGNS IN
STRINGING, WIREWORK, STITCHING, METALWORK, AND MORE (9781627000734,
$21.99) includes a bonus DVD of nearly thirty techniques to watch as it provides a step-by-step
workbook in full color of various kinds of designs. From triangles and wrapped metal clay to
chain mail weaves and romantic flowers, this teaches the basics of working with various
mediums and techniques, offers projects from a range of designers rather than a single one, and is
packed with ideas beginning jewelry designers will love. Beth L. Martin and Eva M. Sherman's
ORGANIC WIRE AND METAL JEWELRY: STUNNING PIECES MADE WITH SEA
GLASS, STONES, AND CRYSTALS (9780871167040, $21.99) provides some twelve fully
illustrated techniques for working with wire and metal in over twenty designs presented two
ways (so, it's actually fifty projects). Step-by-step instructions and hundreds of color photos
throughout illustrate all kinds of styles and projects perfect for jewelry makers who want to work
with metal and wire for the first time. Karin Van Voorhees compiles projects for LINKED:
INNOVATIVE CHAIN MAIL JEWELRY DESIGNS (9781627000895, $19.99) and uses
instruction from six artists to provide different approaches to making chain mail. Patterns include
necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more, while directions pair step-by-step instruction with clear
how-to close-up photos beginners can appreciate. Its range of projects and clarity of instruction
make this a recommended pick.

The Political Science Shelf

Byron Sheldrick (chair of the Political Science Department, University of Guelph) presents
Blocking Public Participation: The Use of Strategic Litigation to Silence Political Expression, an
erudite examination of how lawsuits brought by individuals, corporations, groups, or politicians
have been wielded like a club to beat political activism into submission. A common theme of
such lawsuits is that their intention isn't to win (and they often don't win); their intention is to
stifle political expression or opposition. Although Blocking Public Participation especially
focuses upon how legal action has been used and abused in Canadian politics, its observations,
principles, and precepts also inform American politics, and the political climate of other nations
as well. "...if an interim injunction has been issued, failure to comply can amount to contempt of
court and be punishable by fines or imprisonment. The stakes in the political struggle are
increased considerably, and become much more immediate and personal. Bankruptcy and
potential imprisonment are suddenly possibilities that may never have been contemplated when
one joined a citizens' group." Blocking Public Participation warns of a dangerous and possibly
growing new threat to the fundamental principles of democratic government, and is worthy of the
highest recommendation for public and college library political science collections.

The nature of war and conflict in the opening decades of the 21st Century has changed
substantially from hot and cold war eras of the 20th Century. That means the role of the
American armed forces has to adapt to those changes in which our principle enemies were
stateless terrorists often aided covertly by vested interests in destabilizing the cultural and
political influence of the United States. In response to the irregular warfare challenges facing the
U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2005, General James Mattis (then commander of Marine Corps
Combat Development Command) established a new Marine Corps cultural initiative. The goal
was simple: teach Marines to interact successfully with the local population in areas of conflict.
The implications, however, were anything but simple: transform an elite military culture founded
on the principles of "locate, close with, and destroy the enemy" into a "culturally savvy" Marine
Corps. "Culture in Conflict: Irregular Warfare, Culture Policy, and the Marine Corps" by Paula
Holmes-Eber (Professor of Operational Culture, Marine Corps University) is a 272 page
compendium providing a detailed and documents history of a newly evolving American Marine
Corps. Organized into two major sections (Ideals: Corps Culture; Realities: 'Marinizing"
Culture), "Culture in Conflict: Irregular Warfare, Culture Policy, and the Marine Corps" is
enhanced with the inclusion of a number of Figures and Tables; an appendix (Marine Corp
Ranks and Organizational Structure); Notes; a Bibliography, and an Index. A work of
impressively insightful, informative scholarship, and also available in a hardcover edition
(9780804789509, $85.00), "Culture in Conflict: Irregular Warfare, Culture Policy, and the
Marine Corps" is very highly recommended, especially for academic library Political Science and
Military History reference collections.

Catherine Shaw's THE CAMPAIGN MANAGER: RUNNING AND WINNING LOCAL
ELECTIONS (9780813348636, $39.00) appears in its fifth updated edition to provide a
step-by-step guide to funding, publicizing and arranging successful political campaigns, and is
directed to managers of such efforts whether they be high school students, local or state
government candidates, and more. From gaining volunteers and winning debates to building
media attention and handling polls, all methods are field-tested, not theory, and include all the
tools needed for success. Examples of campaign approaches, brochures, and more accompany
new material that includes a new chapter on social media, a new focus on how to put together
such a campaign plan, and a specific new appendix on campaigning with only, $3,000 in hand.
Highly recommended for any involved in political campaigning! Howard J. Wiarda and Harvey
F. Kline edit the eighth updated edition of LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS AND
DEVELOPMENT (9780813349046, $53.00), which provides a comprehensive reference on
Latin American government and political development on a country-by-country basis. Chapters
are written by leading authorities on each country in Latin America, coverage extends to Cuba,
Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and some twenty essays are new to this edition, including
discussion of Mexico's ongoing drug wars. The result is an engrossing survey packed with the
latest details and highly recommended for any college-level collection strong in Latin American
issues. Robert Booth Fowler, et.al.'s RELIGION AND POLITICS IN AMERICA: FAITH,
CULTURE, AND STRATEGIC CHOICES (9780813348513, $42.00) appears in its fifth
updated edition to provide college readers with updated materials covering the religious
influences on the 2012 election as well as other political structures in the country, and examines
the treatment of religious minority groups and their impact on the electoral process. Scholars
cover different areas of religious and political intersection and provide lively discussions about
both in a recommendation for spirituality and political studies readers alike. John Haskell,
Marian Currinder and Sara A. Grove's CONGRESS IN CONTEXT! (9780813347561, $45.00)
provides an outstanding survey in a second edition that's been completely revamped to include
two new chapters on Congress's relationship with the courts and interests groups, and new
coverage on campaign finance, and is a recommendation for any college-level political studies
library. It explains congressional actions including budgeting and oversight, it relies on real-life
examples to support analysis of how Congress works, and it provides students with material they
must know to thoroughly understanding Congressional action. James D. Ramsay and Linda
Kiltz's CRITICAL ISSUES IN HOMELAND SECURITY: A CASEBOOK (9780813348278,
$30.00) offers college-level political studies readers a casebook covering different challenges
within the homeland security environment, from terrorism to emergency management, and offers
assessments of the latest issues in security from the use of killer drones to cyber security.
Chapters from different contributors from different disciplines provide wide-ranging perspectives
and offer plenty of studies that will lend to classroom debate and discussion. Highly
recommended!

The Sports Shelf

The Main Event: Boxing in Nevada from the Mining Camps to the Las Vegas Strip recounts the
history of the sport of boxing in Nevada, from the 1897 bill first permitting "glove contests"
(supported by businessmen who hoped to lure traffic from affluent sports fans), its sporadic
popularity in mining camps, to the Las Vegas championship bouts including the notoriously
grisly fight between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. Notes, a bibliographic essay, and an
index round out this thoroughly accessible tour of the modern history and evolution of one of
Nevada's most popular and well-known sports!

Dumbbell Training offers nearly eighty exercises and fifteen programs for programs using the
dumbbell, and is a pick for any athlete who wants specific exercises based on muscle
development, performance, and building strength. It can be used in the gym, at home, or when
traveling and includes workouts and programs specific to increasing speed, agility and
performance in some 11 popular sports from cycling and soccer to speed skating, swimming and
track. Add black and white photos of routines in a step-by-step coverage and you have a
winner!

The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Cauldron of Ghosts is military sci fi at its best, and revolves around a centuries-old cabal that
places genetic rank at the top of human affairs. It's a conspiracy exposed by an agent of Honor
Harrington's Manticore kingdom - but the war between the Republic of Haven and the Star
Empire has been settled by a new common enemy - the Mesan Alignment. It's up to two agents to
use a genetic disguise to penetrate the Alignment; there to uncover a threat that will change the
world. A powerful saga set in the Honor Harrington world evolves.

The Military Shelf

William "Billy" Mitchell (December 29, 1879 - February 19, 1936) was a United States Army
general who is regarded as the father of the U.S. Air Force. Mitchell served in France during
World War I and, by the conflict's end, commanded all American air combat units in that
country. After the war, he was appointed deputy director of the Air Service and began advocating
increased investment in air power, believing that this would prove vital in future wars. He argued
particularly for the ability of bombers to sink battleships and organized a series of bombing runs
against stationary ships designed to test the idea. "Billy Mitchell's War with the Navy: The
Interwar Rivalry Over Air Power" by naval aviation historian Thomas Wildenberg is a 288 page
compendium providing a detailed descriptive history of the role Billy Mitchell played in the
development of United States military air power and the inter-military service conflicts that lead
to his court martial and posthumous exoneration. Enhanced with forty pages of Notes, two
appendices, a four page roster of Billy Mitchell biographies, a fourteen page general Biography,
and a comprehensive Index, "Billy Mitchell's War with the Navy: The Interwar Rivalry Over Air
Power" is a seminal and extraordinary contribution that is especially recommended for academic
library 20th Century American Military History reference collections in general, and American
Military Aviation Studies supplemental reading lists in particular. It should be noted that "Billy
Mitchell's War with the Navy: The Interwar Rivalry Over Air Power" is also available in a
Kindle edition ($16.99).

AREA 51 BLACK JETS: A HISTORY OF THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED AT GROOM
LAKE, AMERICA'S SECRET AVIATION BASE comes from a military historian who provides
the first illustrated chronology of Area 51's aircraft projects, with each earning its own chapter on
the aircraft's development. It also includes some of the many classified experimental programs
conducted at Area 51 over the decades - secret efforts that successfully reverse-engineered
notable aircraft. Color and black and white photos, diagrams and maps compliment a coverage
filled with insights on one of the most secret military areas in the U.S. where the latest
technological inventions are put to the test.

Gordon L. Rottman's BROWNING .30-CALIBER MACHINE GUNS (9781780969213, $18.95)
follows the history of John Browning and his ideas for weapons that were lighter than the
common maxim machine gun and more reliable: an idea first patented in 1901 but which didn't
see interest until 1917 during World War I. Here the 'heavy' was developed into an air-cooled
light machine gun and Browning's firearms prowess at last found its audience with the U.S.
forces through World War II. Vintage black and white photos throughout enhance an engrossing
survey recommended for any interested in military equipment in general and machine guns in
particular. Edward M. Young's F6F HELLCAT ACES OF VF-9 (9781782003359, $22.95)
covers one of the military squadrons that were developed after the Pearl Harbor attack, and
covers the unit's fighting capabilities, engagements, pilots, and machinery. Aviation and military
holdings alike will appreciate the blend of original photos and color plates as well as the focus on
experiences of the aces. The result is a fine coverage recommended for any interested in the
VF-9's operations. Nick Lipscombe's BAYONNE AND TOULOUSE 1813-14: WELLINGTON
INVADES FRANCE (9781472802774, $21.95) covers Wellington's movements and victories
and how he achieved the most from an exhausted army and a prolonged campaign that would test
them to the limits in the siege of Bayonne and the battle of Toulouse. The entire campaign is
covered with all of its battles and dangerous crossings, and makes for an excellent survey
recommended for any interested in early military struggle. Peter E. Davies' F-111 & EF-111
Units in Combat (9781782003472, $22.95) is another pick for any collection strong in combat
aircraft history, and covers a plane originally designed as a cost-effective interceptor and strike
bomber that became the US Air Force's best long-range strike aircraft in its thirty-year tenure.
Chapters cover its combat history, its pilots, and its makeup and are paired with vintage photos
and modern illustrations, making for a fine survey packed with details. Scott S. Sheads' THE
CHESAPEAKE CAMPAIGNS 1813-15 (9781780968520, $21.95) provides a fine account of
one of the most influential campaigns of the War of 1812, and provides a survey that considers
the Chesapeake region's raids and battles. And lest you believe this a minor focus - the
bombardment of Fort McHenry that resulted inspired the writing of the "Star-Spangled Banner".
Black and white and color maps and vintage and contemporary photos liberally pepper a survey
any military history collection will find specific and inviting.

Living Hell: The Dark Side of the Civil War considers the contrast between recruits and the
realities of communal living and disease that part of the Civil War - and which is rarely discussed
in titles covering the War's battles and glory. While tourists reenact the experience, they often
omit the reality of the harsh life caused by the war - and this book uses the letters and memoirs of
individual soldiers to document hardships on both sides. Any who would truly understand the
daily trials of the Civil War must have this book!

The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

In "Hollywood From Below the Line", veteran Hollywood property master Steven M. Levine
draws upon his 39 years of experiences and expertise as a movie prop maker and controller to
take the reader 'behind the scenes' and showcases the importance of props and what it is like to
deal with the often inflated egos of actors, directors, producers, and heads of departments ranging
from wardrobe to makeup. "Hollywood From Below the Line" is a 160 page compendium of
anecdotes, background information, and movie-making details that cinema buffs will find
absolutely fascinating. Informed, informative, and exceptionally well written, "Hollywood From
Below the Line" is very highly recommended reading and an important addition to community
and academic library Cinematic Studies reference collections and supplemental studies reading
lists. It should also be noted that "Hollywood From Below the Line" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($7.99).

Stephen King Films FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the King of Horror on Film is
recommended for any who relish King's unique style of horror, and provides a in-depth review of
King's films covering everything from well-known movies to obscure creations. From flops to
acclaimed films, this covers films that influenced King and those that followed his works,
unmade projects, and works in other media. By expanding the focus to the entire 'King genre' of
movies - not just works by King himself - this offers a wider-ranging series of works that include
other filmmaker efforts and provides a fine analysis key to any Stephen King enthusiast and
collections catering to them.

The Business Shelf

Communications professional and PR consultant Caroline Black presents The PR Professional's
Handbook: Powerful, Practical Communications, a no-nonsense guide for anyone involved in
public relations, from professional veterans to small business owners must necessarily do their
own public relations. Chapters discuss how to gain an understanding of one's audience (the right
message does little good if it's only heard by the wrong people), how to select the right
communications channels and tactics, visual communications, public relations essentials for
serious issues and crises, basic skills including body language, briefing, and presentation skills,
and much more. "If your organization faces an issue or crisis, friends may desert you if you fail to
communicate properly as they may feel they will be tarnished by association. Foes may use the
opportunity to gain a competitive advantage or even put the boot in. They will give their version
of the story if you don't talk to the media and you can be certain they won't do you any favours.
Don't go underground and never, ever say 'no comment'. You are abdicating corporate
responsibility." An absolute "must-have" for anyone whose work responsibilities include any
aspect of public relations.

Compensation consultant Dr. Bashker D. Biswas (Associate Professor in the College of
Business, DeVry University) presents Employee Benefits Design and Planning: A Guide to
Understanding Accounting, Finance, and Tax Implications, a guide to key principles that for
financing, funding, compliance, legalities, and recordkeeping involving employee benefits - an
issue that can be responsible for as much as 30% of personnel costs. Chapters discuss specific
issues with healthcare benefits (taking the Affordable Care Act into account); risk benefits
including life insurance, sick-leave, and disability; retirement plans; equity-based employee
benefit plans; ancillary benefits; cost containment; and much more. Employee Benefits Design
and Planning is deliberately accessible to readers of all backgrounds, offering point-by-point
definitions of common terminology, as well as individual types of benefit plans. A bibliography
and an index round out this excellent reference and resource especially for accountants, human
resources personnel, and small business owners who often have to put on these "hats" in the
course of their career.

Professional consultant Vaughan Evans and business speaker Brian Tracy present The Standout
Business Plan: Make It Irresistible - and Get the Funds You Need for Your Startup or Growing
Business, an invaluable resource especially for entrepreneurs and small business leaders.
Chapters discuss how to identify target customers, size up and prepare for competition, apply
strategies, evaluate forecasts and resources, and much more. An emphasis on "out-of-the-box"
thinking and approaches distinguishes The Standout Business Plan, which peppers its concepts
with illustrative examples from real-life businesses. "Typically, the earlier the stage in the
investment cycle, the more crucial management is. The right managers are more important to the
backer in seed capital (for the very early "proof of concept" stages of a business) than venture
capital (for the early, high-risk, high-growth years of a business), and more important in venture
capital than development capital (for growth businesses with an established track record)."
Highly recommended.

"The Leader's Guide to Managing People: How to Use Soft Skills to Get Hard Results" by the
team of executive leadership experts Mike Brent and Fiona Elsa Dent is a 264 page compendium
comprised of practical advice illustrated with real-world case study examples and do-your-self
exercises to teach managerial skills that will become life-long skill-set assets. "The Leader's
Guide To Managing People" shows how to build a positive reputation as a manager, take
personal control of a career, develop coaching skills, increasing personal influence on others,
motivate people, improve importance, deal with inevitable conflicts, manage change, and a great
deal more. Essential, "The Leader's Guide To Managing People" is an instruction manual on
becoming a leader and is especially recommended reading for anyone aspiring to or engaged in a
managerial responsibility. It should be noted that "The Leader's Guide To Managing People" is
also available in a Kindle edition ($14.29).

Supercommunicator: Explaining the Complicated in a Digital Age is all about access,
knowledge, and how to make complicated content accessible to a wider audience, and comes
from a seasoned communications pro who considers how digital technology is changing how
skills are applied. It's packed with advice for delivering powerful messages using new
'supercommunications' to make sense of complicated digital environments and it urges anyone
who wants successful communication to develop a better mindset for fostering such. The result is
a powerful survey recommended for business and social studies collections alike.

Building Your Business the Right-Brain Way
Jennifer Lee
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781608682560, $21.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

Building Your Business the Right-Brain Way: Sustainable Success for the Creative Entrepreneur
pairs self-help and psychology with a business focus that provide the basics of real-world-tested
techniques leading to business success, and is a fine recommendation for all kinds of businesses
and their managers. From understanding the basics of identifying and attracting the ideal
customer to managing teams and staff members, keeping operations smooth, and promoting
products, this combines sidebars of tips for right- and left-brain processing with checklists and
lively illustrations throughout. The result is a lively survey highly recommended for any looking
to integrative business and personal objectives.

CODE HALOS: HOW THE DIGITAL LIVES OF PEOPLE, THINGS, AND
ORGANIZATIONS ARE CHANGING THE RULES OF BUSINESS shows leaders how digital
innovators and companies can build 'Code Halos' solutions for greater success, and revolves
around a peer-based business strategy that's creating new commercial models for innovation and
achievement. The focus on data and analytics considers digital information and its applications to
business and society alike, with chapter showing how models can predict market shifts and
determine company direction. Traditional firms are already benefiting from Code Halos: with
this in-depth study, anyone else can, too.

Impact: Great Leadership Changes Everything discusses the impact of exceptional leadership and
its ability to change worlds, considering what happens when that leadership is threatened and
how a leader can protect their impact. It considers the ideas that form the basis of great leadership
and shows how to stay the course and grow within a leadership role that invites the trust and
following of others. The result is a fine survey of leadership forces and changes and is a top
recommendation for those leaders who would hone their abilities.

Ice Cream Social: The Whole Story of the Struggle for the Soul of Ben & Jerry's isn't the first
book to cover the company's rise to success; but it is the first to tell the entire inside story of its
rise, fall, recovery, and ongoing blossoming. Most other accounts have followed Ben and Jerry's
rise, but this goes beneath the surface to explain how it was sold off to one of the world's biggest
corporations - and how Ben & Jerry's created a unique contract with Unilever to preserve its
underlying mission and pursuits. The result is an eye-opening history of a business transition that
is supported by the author's interviews with numerous early leaders in the company.

HAUNTED EMPIRE: APPLE AFTER STEVE JOBS is compiled form hundreds of insider
interviews at Apple and comes from a former Wall Street Journal tech reporter and Apple
authority who explores the new milieu of Apple after Job's death. Nobody denies the company
stands at a crossroads: in fact, discussion has been on the table for years about Apple's future. In
the past two years Apple's business has become more complex and more global, facing new
issues around the world. This offers insider perspectives on these issues and events and is the
result of five years of reporting and writing on Apple: no better expose of Apple's future can be
found, making this a top pick for any business collection.

Business and computer readers interested in creating and delivering more effective presentations
will find Presentationzen Design a fine guide to designing effective presentations that combine
text, data, images and video. It shows how to streamline the process and how to design for more
polished results, discusses the basics of using presentations for talks, student assignments or
other goals, and is packed with rich color photo examples throughout. The result is a solid survey
highly recommended for any who would use the best presentation methods for optimum
results.

The Social Issues Shelf

Patrick R. Grzanka's INTERSECTIONALITY: A FOUNDATIONS AND FRONTIERS
READER (9780813349121, $35.00) is for college-level students in sociology and gathers
readings and the latest works and theory in the concept of intersectionality and how it works.
Chapters explore readings and common threads, consider interdisciplinary applications and
sociology standards, and apply both theory and analysis to specific groups and their functions.
The result is a primer any college-level social sciences student will find scholarly and absorbing.
The fourth updated edition of David B. Grusky's SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: CLASS, RACE,
AND GENDER IN SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE belongs in any serious social sciences
library strong in minority studies, and provides a key coverage including works important to how
poverty, social class and gender is perceived. This is no light review: it's a weighty volume
packed with technical works from scholars who have changed the field, and it is edited by a
professor of sociology at Stanford University. The result is a clear and in-depth discussion of
how social policy has dealt with issues of poverty and inequality, and is a 'must' for any
college-level collection. Kathleen Fitzgerald's RECOGNIZING RACE AND ETHNICITY:
POWER, PRIVILEGE, AND INEQUALITY (9780813349305, $70.00) provides a fine account
of the concept of privilege and uses a different vantage point to consider the history of U.S. race
relations across racial and ethnic lines. Students thus receive a perspective on race that embraces
its social, political and historical roots, avoiding the usual assessments of racial groups and
instead focusing on deeper layers of privilege and its perception. The result is a fine pick for any
social issues collection strong in race issues.

OVERPOWERED: WHAT SCIENCE TELLS US ABOUT THE DANGERS OF CELL
PHONES AND OTHER WIFI-AGE DEVICES is also recommended for health and science as
well as general-interest holdings, but is reviewed here for its wide-ranging applications to social
science. It explains the biological effects of cell phones on cell physiology and how to protect
ourselves from these effects, it considers the wider problem of electromagnetic radiation levels
usually considered 'safe' by regulatory standards, and it discusses evolving technologies and
personal well-being. It's a health, consumer and science guide all in one and provides important
food for thought, inviting readers to consider new standards in safety and technology's
management.

The Biography Shelf

Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 - August 5, 1962) was an
American actress, model, and singer, who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of
commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s and early 1960s. After spending much
of her childhood in foster homes, Monroe began a career as a model, which led to a film contract
in 1946 with Twentieth Century-Fox. Her early film appearances were minor, but her
performances in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve (both 1950) drew attention. By 1952 she
had her first leading role in Don't Bother to Knock and 1953 brought a lead in Niagara, a
melodramatic film noir that dwelt on her seductiveness. Her "dumb blonde" persona was used to
comic effect in subsequent films such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), How to Marry a
Millionaire (1953) and The Seven Year Itch (1955). Limited by typecasting, Monroe studied at
the Actors Studio to broaden her range. Her dramatic performance in Bus Stop (1956) was hailed
by critics and garnered a Golden Globe nomination. Her production company, Marilyn Monroe
Productions, released The Prince and the Showgirl (1957), for which she received a BAFTA
Award nomination and won a David di Donatello award. She received a Golden Globe Award
for her performance in Some Like It Hot. Monroe's last completed film was The Misfits (1961),
co-starring Clark Gable, with a screenplay written by her then-husband, Arthur Miller. The final
years of Monroe's life were marked by illness, personal problems, and a reputation for
unreliability and being difficult to work with. The circumstances of her death, from an overdose
of barbiturates, have been the subject of conjecture. Though officially classified as a "probable
suicide", the possibilities of an accidental overdose or a homicide have not been ruled out. In
1999, Monroe was ranked as the sixth-greatest female star of all time by the American Film
Institute. In the decades following her death, she has often been cited as both a pop and a cultural
icon as well as the quintessential American sex symbol. In 2009, TV Guide Network named her
No. 1 in Film's Sexiest Women of All Time. "Icon: The Life, Times, and Films of Marilyn
Monroe: Volume 1 1926 to 1956" by psychotherapist and author Gary Vitacco-Robles is an
impressively detailed and deftly written 788 page biography of Monroe's personal life and film
career. A 'must read' for her legions of fans, "Icon: The Life, Times, and Films of Marilyn
Monroe Volume 1 1926 to 1956" is also available in a hardcover edition (9781593935559,
$49.95) and highly recommended for community library 20th Century American Biography and
academic library Cinematic Studies collections.

Gerald Marcus Glaskin (16 December 1923 - 11 March 2000) was a Western Australian author.
Although he won the Commonwealth Prize for Literature in 1955, his works were received more
favorably in Europe than in Australia where he had virtually no public profile, and he lived
mostly in Asia and later the Netherlands, until returning to Perth in 1967. Glaskin's extensive
time overseas may have been because of the oppressive Australian moral climate of the period
against homosexuality. In 1961 he had been charged with indecent exposure on a Perth beach.
His published works were extensive. He wrote poetry, short stories, and novels. Some works also
included issues of science fiction and new-age spiritual guidance related to the interpretation of
dreams. He was also involved in the Fellowship of Australian Writers. His most commercially
successful work was a novel about a homosexual love affair, No End To The Way (1965),
published under the pseudonym Neville Jackson. Glaskin was also silent financial partner in The
Coffee Pot, a popular Perth meeting place for homosexuals, bohemians and students which was
established in the 1950s by Dutch Indonesian migrants, and was then the city's only late night
cafe. "Dare Me!: The Life and Work of Gerald Glaskin" by John Burbridge is an impressively
detailed, 366 page biography that is enhanced with the inclusion of a color photo section insert, a
bibliography of Glaskin's major published works, a six page list of References, and a
comprehensive index. Critically important reading for students of Glaskin's work, "Dare Me!:
The Life and Work of Gerald Glaskin" is strongly recommended for academic library Gay &
Lesbian Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The eldest of eight daughters born to a Jewish couple, Helena Rubinstein (born Chaya
Rubinstein, December 25, 1870 - April 1, 1965), was a Polish-born American business magnate.
A cosmetics entrepreneur she was the founder and eponym of company Helena Rubinstein,
Incorporated, which made her one of the world's richest women. "Helena Rubinstein: The
Woman Who Invented Beauty" by Michele Fitoussi is an impressively detailed, deftly written,
404 page biography of one of the most influential women of her time. This is a riveting story of a
young woman who refused an arranged marriage, struggled to make her way without family
support, hit upon making face cream for Australian women, succeeded as a business women in a
man's world, and did not allow lovers, husbands, or motherhood stand in the way of her
commercial success and cultural authority. "Helena Rubinstein: The Woman Who Invented
Beauty" is informed, informative, insightful, entertaining, and highly recommended for personal
reading lists and community library biography collections.

Joan Davis (June 29, 1907 - May 22, 1961) was an American comedic actress whose career
spanned vaudeville, film, radio and television. Remembered best for the 1950s television comedy
'I Married Joan', Davis had a successful earlier career as a B-movie actress and a leading star of
1940s radio comedy. "Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy" by
David C. Tucker is a 232 page compendium that includes her biography of her life, and a
filmography, a radiography, and a videography of her work. Enhanced with occasional
black-and-white period photography, extensive Notes, a two page Bibliography, and a
comprehensive Index, "Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy" is
highly recommended for academic library Cinematic History and 20th Century American
Biography reference collections. It should be noted that "Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film,
Radio and Television Comedy" is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.99).

Abraham Kuijper (29 October 1837 - 8 November 1920), generally known as Abraham Kuyper,
was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian. He founded the Anti-Revolutionary
Party and was prime minister of the Netherlands between 1901 and 1905. Profusely illustrated
throughout with duotone images as well as black-and-white period photographs, "Abraham
Kuyper: A Pictorial Biography" by Jan de Bruijn (Professor of Political History, Free University
of Amsterdam) is a 432 page compendium providing a detailed, documented, insightful
biography of one of the most theologically and politically influential men of his generation in the
Netherlands. Ably translated into English for an American readership by Dagmare Houniet,
"Abraham Kuyper: A Pictorial Biography" is enhanced with the inclusion of a roster of Literary
Resources, a listing of Sources of Photographic Material, and a comprehensive Index. A work of
seminal scholarship, "Abraham Kuyper: A Pictorial Biography" is informed, informative, and
highly recommended -- especially for academic library Biographical Studies reference
collections.

MOMMY MAN: HOW I WENT FROM MILD-MANNERED GEEK TO GAY SUPERDAD follows the author's life, from his teen years in the 1980s to twenty years later he when was living with his long-term boyfriend - and wanting parenthood. How he and his boyfriend made choices that would lead him to become a father makes for an engrossing - and unexpectedly funny - saga that embraces the complexities of surrogacy and parenthood, mixes in a healthy dose of gay perspective, and ultimately succeeds in creating a warm, memorable and personal story recommended for any general interest reader interested in gay parenthood.

"From Public School to the Ivy League: How to Get into a Top School without Top Dollar
Resources" is a 212 page instruction manual for parents and their students who are from modest
means and want to be able to avail themselves of the extraordinary opportunities that an Ivy
League university education, experience, and contacts will afford them. The primary author,
Mandee Heller Adler is the Founder and Principle of international College Counselors and draws
upon her many years of experience and expertise to craft an informed and informative guide that
covers every thing from writing essays and letters of application, to standardized tests, to
choosing a major, to college visits and information sessions, to jobs and internships,
scholarships, grants, loans, and more. Of special note are the chapters devoted to 'Schools and
Programs for Studies with Learning Disabilities'; 'Free and Inexpensive Schools'; and 'Tips for
High School Student Athletes'. A veritable cornucopia of practical and insightful advice, "From
Public School to the Ivy League: How to Get into a Top School without Top Dollar Resources" is
superbly well organized, thoroughly 'user friendly', and very highly recommended for family,
school, and community library Educational Resources reference collections and supplemental
reading lists.

Dr. Margaret Mary Policastro (professor of language and literacy, Roosevelt University in
Chicago) and Dr. Becky McTague (associate professor of language and literacy, Roosevelt
University) present The New Balanced Literary School: Implementing Common Core, a guide
expressly for K-8 teachers, administrators, and school literacy teams. Chapters show to how to
shape literacy instruction with respect to Common Core guidelines and research-tested best
practices. Approaches discussed include read-alouds, guided language into reading, operating
language and literacy centers, in-school libraries, fostering independent reading and writing, and
more. "While children are not actually engaged in the act of close reading during the read-aloud,
the teacher is modeling the behaviors and showing what the children will learn to do when
reading on their own. For example, the teacher might underline key ideas, use sticky notes to
record notes, post a question, or jot down an important word in the text." The New Balanced
Literacy School is an excellent, supplementary resource for improving literacy and educational
programs, created by professionals for professionals.

No single factor to success in life is more important than education. Indeed, an education is much
too important to leave up to the judgement and uncontested control of others. "Own Your
Education!: A Student's Guide to Greater Success in School (and Life)" by education specialist
Megan Stone is a 160 page compendium that will enable anyone to increase their motivation to
succeed in school by taking charge of the decisions and make personally selected choices
involved in shaping the nature and content of their education. Basically, "Own Your Education!"
is a thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction manual on how to take ownership over one's education
in all and every aspect. Informed and informative, "Own Your Education!" is highly
recommended reading for students, for their families, for education policy makers, and would
prove to be an enduringly valued and popular addition to community and academic library
Educational Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

More Than Meets The Eye: Revealing the Complexities of an Interpreted Education is the tenth
volume in the 'Interpretation' series covering sign language interpreters and public schools. Over
80% of all deaf children are mainstreamed, but few of their teachers can sign well enough to
offer them full access and many K-12 interpreters fulfill roles beyond interpreting, making
educational decisions with wide-ranging impact. This considers the roles of K-12 interpreters and
comes from the author's analysis at three different schools, and offers important keys to
understanding resources, interpretation modifications, and interactions between the deaf and
hearing worlds. The result is a powerful account recommended for any special education
collection.

Assuring Quality in Online Education: Practices and Processes at the Teaching, Resource, and
Program Levels gathers experts in the field who contribute to an in-depth review of standards,
practices and processes surrounding quality online education, and provides recommendations to
students and instructors as well as accreditors and administrators. Chapters discuss quality
assurance, improvement, accessibility, academic resources and more as they consider the special
processes in offering higher education to online students at the college level. The result is an
excellent assessment highly recommended for any concerned about online education.

Early Elementary Children Moving & Learning is a guide to physical education at the early
elementary level and offers a complete movement curriculum for early elementary children. It
provides an introduction that includes keys to understanding how creative movement supports
children's physical, social and creative development processes, and it covers a range of activities
plus adaptations for children of special needs, with five categories making it easy to quickly
review a class of activities perfect for a given educational objective. A CD of original music adds
to the value of a fine recommendation for any early educator's collection.

Crossfire Trail is the unabridged audiobook production of a classic work by award-winning
novelist Louis L'Amour, especially well-known for his vivid stories set in the Wild West. In
Crossfire Trail, Rafe Caradec is a gambler, wanderer, and mercenary who swears to a dying
Charles Rodney that Rodney's daughter Ann will inherit the Painted Rock, Wyoming ranch that
is rightfully hers. But law and order are little known in the beautiful, unforgiving land of Painted
Rock; one of the most vicious men in the area is determined to impose his will on both the ranch
and Ann. Rafe Caradec will put his life on the line to protect not only his promise, but also the
innocent heart of a young woman, in this stark and suspenseful saga. 4 CDs, 5 hours.

The Transcriptionist: A Novel is a poignant, unabridged audiobook about a woman caught in a
stale daily routine. Lena is the last transcriptionist of a big city newspaper; she works with a
machine that turns spoken words into print, and happens to get first glimpse of the hottest daily
news stories. Yet technology is fast rendering her chosen career obsolete, despite her lifetime's
loyalty to her employer. When she encounters a story about a blind woman mauled to death by a
lion, she begins to question the journalistic ethics of those who carelessly reported it - why is the
woman only mentioned as a "Jane Doe"? Why has no effort been made to identify or notify the
victim's family? Lena's search gradually broadens into a greater transformation, as she begins to
question the metaphorical box she's hidden herself in all this time, and look outward - for truth,
for journalistic responsibility, and for her own path to the future. Highly recommended,
especially for public library audiobook fiction collections. 4 CDs, 5 hours.

Sixth Grave on the Edge is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a paranormal mystery,
written and performed with keenly whetted wit. Charley Davidson is a most unusual young
woman; she works as a paranormal private eye and grim-reaper-in-training. Get a little caffeine
in her, and she'll raise Hell - maybe even literally! Charley has fallen in love with Reyes Farrow,
and the two are engaged to be married, but when she stumbled across the FBI file on his
childhood, she learns some disturbing secrets. Mobsters, a corpse turning up in Charley's car, a
deaf boy who sees dead people, and Reyes' mounting suspicions threaten to destroy any
semblance of a normal, happy marriage for Charley... and who or what is plotting to unleash the
fury of the Twelve Beasts of Hell? A vivacious adventure through and through, Sixth Grave on
the Edge is highly recommended! 8 CDs, 10 hours.

Also available as a digital audiobook, The King: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood is the
unabridged audio rendition of J.R. Ward's fantasy about the dark side of royal blood. Wrath, son
of Wrath, is the last pure-blooded vampire known to exist in the world. For an uncountably long
time, he has resisted his father's station as King; at last, with the support of his mate Beth
Randall, he reluctantly assumes the throne. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, and the
toll from war with the Lessening Society mounts, as does the lurking threat of the Band of
Bastards. Further complicating the intrigue is Beth's desire for a child - when Wrath rebuffs her, a
rift begins to grow between them. A sweeping saga of hard choices and their terrible
repercussions, The King is highly recommended. 19 CDs, 22.5 hours.

It Takes a Witch is the unabridged audiobook rendition of the first title in Heather Blake's
"Wishcraft Mystery" series, which seamlessly blends elements of fantasy and criminal drama.
Darcy Merriweather and her sister Harper first learn about their magical powers to grant people's
wishes from their vivacious aunt Velma. But when they move to Velma's magic-themed tourist
town, they discover a terrible murder. Velma's sweetheart Skylar was spotted next to the
deceased victim, and he's known to have a motive, but Velma refuses to believe that he's the
murderer. Could Skylar be innocent, or at least, not guilty of murder most foul? When Harper is
distracted by a head-over-heels crush, Darcy takes it upon herself to uncover the truth, in this
sleuth and sorcery adventure! 7 CDs, 8.5 hours.

James Patterson & Marshall Karp's NYPD RED 2 (9781611130522, $35.00) receives a lively
narration by Eduardo Ballerini and Jay Snyder, and relates the hunt for a killer who wants to send
a message to the world. Even for New York City, the string of murders is especially visual and
harrowing - and it's up to Zach and Kylie to find out who's behind the rampage. Add a close-held
secret kept by Kylie which could affect the investigation and you have a thriller that is engrossing
and rich in detail and action. Jeffrey Deaver's TROUBLE IN MIND: THE COLLECTED
STORIES, VOLUME 3 (9781478925460, $35.00) receives a multi-reader production by Ellijah
Alexander and five others, who bring to life Jeffrey Deaver's short stories. This title holds twelve
tales - six written just for this anthology - and tells of individuals who are challenged on
everything from a murder investigation to reviving their careers and handling terrorist threats.
Also new are series characters who return in stories tailored for audio production. The result is a
fine collection especially recommended for prior Deaver fans. Jean Hanff Korelitz's YOU
SHOULD HAVE KNOWN (9781478978138, $30.00) centers around a marriage counselor who
learns that her perfect life is false - weeks before her forthcoming book You Should Have Known
is to be published, calling upon women to pay more attention to their instincts. A violent death
and a missing husband are only two of the chain of events that calls upon Grace to heed her own
advice - or suffer the consequences. A riveting story emerges, perfect for any fiction listener.
Joyce Meyer has a simple message in her inspirational account, narrated by Jodi Carlisle: YOU
CAN BEGIN AGAIN (9781611132618, $24.00). It covers one of the core messages of the Bible
and offers plenty of Biblical references to support the pattern of God offering a new beginning,
and His people taking that to change their lives. The result is a powerful message that comes
alive in audio format. J. Randy Taraborrelli's THE HILTONS: THE TRUE STORY OF AN
AMERICAN DYNASTY (9781478927648, $35.00) receives a fine narration by Robert Petkoff,
who has appeared on Broadway and television alike, and though captures the biography of the
Hilton family dynasty with a deft, smooth voice that draws readers into what sounds like a
sweeping epic. From the rise of the Hilton family fortune to its business and personal affairs, this
is an epic saga any listener will find especially gripping in audio. Emma Donoghue's FROG
MUSIC (9781478927105, $30.00) is based on an unsolved murder in 1870s San Francisco,
receives actress Khristine Hvam's smooth voice, and is a powerful account of a young woman's
murder and a friend's determination to bring the killer to justice. Riveting action and a mystery
steeped in history makes this audio a vivid listen. Any business listener who would understand
the basics of making a sale must hear Tom Hopkins and Ben Katt's WHEN BUYERS SAY NO:
ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES FOR KEEPING A SALE MOVING FORWARD (9781478929686,
$25.00). This account of a completely different way of saying 'no' comes to life with new
strategies that aren't just theory, but have been proven successful in getting buyers to re-think
their original decisions. It goes beyond common 'canned' responses to invites salespeople to
develop a more modern, better way of connecting with customers, and it provides sample
dialogues, directions, and supportive case studies that simply come alive in audio.

Get Me Joe Beck is a tribute album to talented jazz guitarist Joe Beck (1945-2008), originally
recorded live at Anna's Jazz Island in Berkeley, California. The Joe Beck Trio (Joe Beck on
guitar, Peter Barshay on bass, and David Rokeach on drums) created one of their last
rhythm-and-blues touched performances, exploring the depths of experimental chords, and
sharing their mastery of unforgettable music. A "must-have" for connoisseurs of jazz guitar, Get
Me Joe Beck is highly recommended for both personal and public library CD collections. The
tracks are "Stella by Starlight" (8:19), "Manha de Carnaval" (9:13), "The Guitar is a six piece
band" (spoken, 0:56), "Georgia on my Mind" (8:19), "Alone Together" (8:14), "Trio Intros"
(spoken, 0:50), "Tenderly" (8:43), "On Ballads and Drinking" (spoken, 0:19), "I Can't Get
Started" (6:22), "You and the Night and the Music" (8:14), "Jobim" (spoken, 1:41), "Corcovado"
(9:42), and "Georgia on my Mind" (radio edit, 4:26).

Supported by a successful Kickstarter campaign, Recordar: Latin American Songs of Love &
Protest is an anthology of classic songs from the 1930s through the 1970s, by musicians who
advocated for social change. All of the songs are in Spanish, performed by the multitalented Ani
Cordero (who provides guitar and percussion as well as heartrending vocals) and numerous
associated musicians. The result is a treasure worthy of being handed down through the
generations, in tribute to all who would risk their lives to make the world a better place. Highly
recommended. The tracks are "Deja la vida volar" (originally composed by Victor Jara), "Pena de
tu boca" (Piero), "La ultima noche" (Eydie Gorme y Los Panchos), "Panis et circenses" (Os
Mutantes), "Chorferito" (Trio Armonico), "Macorina" (Chavela Vargas), "El flamboyan"
(Cuarteto Mayari), "Aunque me cueste la vida" (Alberto Beltran), "Volver a los 17" (Violeta
Parra), "El primer verso" (Atahualpa Yupanqui), and "Una cancion mansa para mi pueblo bravo"
(Ali Primera).

The sixth album from Canadian global fusion band Eccodek, Singing in Tongues reverberates
with African rhythm and storytelling, spiced with electronica. Mali's Jah Youssouf supplies vocal
stylings and instrumental performance, lending an exceptional, original flair to bridge music and
culture of lands ranging from Mali to Turkey to the Middle East and South Asia. An
extraordinary meeting of exceptional talents, Singing in Tongues is highly recommended,
especially for international music collections. The tracks are "Village in me", "In confidence (ft.
Onkar Singh)", "Singing in tongues", "My primitive heart (ft. MC Yogi)", "Money tree (ft. Onkar
Singh)", "The end begins (ft. Meral Mert)", "In my tribe", "The big man (ft. Meral Mert)", and
"Permission to speak".

The Library DVD Shelf

Bringing It Home is a documentary about industrial hemp,
especially its potential in America. Industrial hemp is non-toxic, environmentally friendly to
grow, edible with the right preparations, and a useful source for everything from rope to building
materials. Hemp is non-psychoactive - it can't be used as a drug to get high, like its cousin
marijuana. So why is the cultivation of hemp legally prohibited in the U.S., despite its many uses
and the jobs it could create? Bringing It Home traces the history of hemp, both in the U.S. and as
a worldwide global industry. Looking to the future, Bringing It Home examines the many ways in
which hemp could contribute to a more robust American economy, if only prevailing attitudes
and laws about it changed. Could such a transformation be underway? Highly recommended
especially for public library collections, Bringing It Home should be required viewing for anyone
(especially politicians and lobbyists) involved in the making of agricultural laws!

Alexander's Lost World is a six-part documentary on DVD, in which photojournalist David
Adams brings the viewer on an amazing journey through the lands that were once the conquered
grounds of Alexander the Great, the first European to rule the East. Breathtaking scenery,
intriguing history, and reconstructions of what it must have been like to march through some of
the most inhospitable lands on Earth, Alexander's Lost World seeks to separate fact from fiction
even as it reconstructs the conqueror's legendary journey. Deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes
photo gallery, a 16-page viewer's guide, and a biography of Alexander the Great enrich this
enlightening documentary, highly recommended for public or college library DVD collections. 6
episodes on 2 DVDs, 276 min., SDH subtitles, widescreen.

Come Hell or High Water is a documentary about Boston teacher Derrick Evans, who returned to
his homeland in coastal Mississippi when he learned the graves of his ancestors were being
deliberately bulldozed to accomodate the city of Gulfport. Derrick and his neighbors chose to
take a stand against wealthy corporate interests, politicians, even the deadly repercussions of
Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill for the sake of the land the called home. A true-life saga of
individual and group efforts to serve the cause of environmental justice in the wake of threats
ranging from urban sprawl to natural disasters, Come Hell or High Water is passionate,
involving, and will prompt the viewer to think. 56 min.

Barbary Coast is a DVD anthology of the pilot movie and thirteen episodes of an action-packed,
vigilante-justice program set in 1880's San Francisco. Golden Globe winner William Shatner
(well-known for his famous roles in "Star Trek" and "Boston Legal") plays Jeff Cable, an
undercover agent adrift amid the corruption, thuggery, casinos, and bustling economy of boom
town San Francisco. Public officials are potentially as untrustworthy as street hoodlums, forcing
Cable to weave elaborate schemes to unearth the most entrenched and dastardly crooks.
Fast-talking casino operator Cash Conover (played by Doug McClure in the series, and Dennis
Cole in the pilot) reluctantly comes to Cable's aid when needed, but will the deadly side of the
Wild West catch up to them both? A high-spirited adventure through and through, Barbary Coast
is sure to prove a popular pick for public library DVD collections. 4 DVDs, 745 min., SDH
subtitles, fullscreen.

Ian Glen, an actor well-known for his roles in the shows "Game of Thrones" and "Downton
Abbey", plays the lead role in Jack Taylor, set 2, a DVD collection of television episodes based
on the popular crime novels by Ken Bruen. Jack Taylor is an ex-cop struggling with the demons
of the past, who works as a private detective in Galway, located in western Ireland. Jack has few
friends from his days on the police force; one of the few exceptions is his friend Garda Kate
Noonan, whose limited aid to Taylor comes is constant source of irritation to her boss. Six
months sober and still working to stay dry, Taylor and his youthful assistant Cody handle cases
too murky for the regular police, all to pay the bills while Taylor frets about his elderly mother,
who recently suffered a stroke. Raw, realistic, and at times poignant, Jack Taylor, set 2 is a
treasury for fans of the contemporary mystery genre, highly recommended.

Luther: His Life, His Path, His Legacy is a documentary about Martin Luther, reformer and
founder of the Protestant movement; his life's work forever changed the religion of Christianity.
Following Luther's actions, as well as reflecting on the locations that have been inextricably
linked with his name, Luther: His Life, His Path, His Legacy incorporates dramatic footage from
the 2003 theatrical film "Luther", interviews with biographical and theological experts, and an
interview with actor Joseph Fiennes, who played the role of Luther in the 2003 film. Luther: His
Life, His Path, His Legacy is an excellent work especially recommended for church library DVD
collections.

Registered nurse and certified fitness professional Anne Talbot-Kleeman and orthopedic surgeon
Tom Kleeman present Fitness: The Doctor's Workout, a 3-disc DVD set offering a full-body
exercise program for men and women of any age or fitness levels, featuring strength, cardio, and
interval training. Although MD Fitness is accessible to viewers of all backgrounds, those over 40
will find it particularly invaluable as a low-impact, user-friendly workout routine that doesn't
require an excess of expensive equipment. The three DVDs (approximately 40 min. each) offer
three workout intensity levels; Level One is suitable for those who may have limited mobility,
and one to three pound weights plus a workout mat are recommended; Level Two suggests 3 to 5
pound weights, and Level Three is designed for use with 5 to 8 pound weights. MD Fitness is
highly recommended not only for personal fitness collections and private use, but also for public
library DVD and senior citizen center DVD shelves.

The Blu-ray Shelf

Also available on DVD (4 DVDs, $59.99), Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Series 2 is a Blu-ray
anthology of British crime drama based on the popular novels by Kerry Greenwood. Miss Phryne
Fisher (expertly played by Essie Davis) is a most atypical private detective in 190s Melbourne.
With the assistance of her maid, Dorothy "Dot" Williams (Ashleigh Cummings), she pursues her
cases from the elite upper crust to the darkest dens of disrepute. Detective Inspector Jack
Robinson (Nathan Page) and Constable Hugh Collins (Hugo Johnstone-Burt) assist her at times,
and benefit from her keen instincts and insight in the criminal mind. Series 2 promos,
behind-the-scenes clips, a photo gallery and more round out this this "must-have" for
connoisseurs of the genre! 13 episodes on 3 Blu-ray discs, 727 min. plus bonus, 1080i (bonus
480i), 16:9 aspect ratio, SDH subtitles.

The Technology Shelf

Finite Element Analysis: A Primer may seem like it's an introductory text, but it's a
recommendation not for novices but for college-level students used to calculations revolving
around math software applications such as MATLAB or ANSYS. Such calculations are covered
in over thirty-five examples of applications that balance theory with real-world considerations,
with chapters showing how the FEM method has become a common engineering tool. Materials
applied to mechanical, civil and electrical engineering as well as physics offer students a basic
introduction to FEM analysis methods and problems. The result is an excellent pick for any
student of engineering or physics.

THE HDR BOOK appears in its second updated edition to present a workshop in a book, and
covers the hardware, software, and post-processing technique involved in HDR technology. It
includes interviews for HDR photographers, teaches how to map images with HDR software, and
includes ten projects that are designed to show differences in different scenarios. The result
invites users to play with images to create specific looks and is filled with the latest HDR
processing insights - all written using the latest HDR processing technology, Photomatix Pro 5.
The result is a key to successfully incorporating HDR into any objective.

The Genealogy Shelf

The sixth updated edition of a classic genealogical reference offers the latest forms and
information for each of the fifty states, and provides information about records created prior to
statewide vital records registration. Also included are details for online databases, institutions,
other countries of the world and their vital records systems, and more, offering amateurs and
researchers alike the latest information on where and how to request vital records. Since
applications and processes vary widely from place to place and information is widely scattered,
this reference will prove invaluable, bringing everything under one cover and providing a wealth
of information genealogy researchers must have.

The Science Shelf

LUCKY PLANET: WHY EARTH IS EXCEPTIONAL - AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR
LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE comes from an astrobiologist who argues that Earth's climate stability
is connected to its ability to support life - and that this is, largely, a matter of luck. Earth's climate
is really a special occurrence, it's rare, and surface temperatures on the planet have never
fluctuated so much as to make it uninhabitable. His LUCKY PLANET refutes common
perceptions that Earth-like planets out there also have natural stabilizing mechanisms that allow
life - and show how rare the Earth really is. Any science collection will find this an important
survey.

The Beginning of Heaven and Earth Has No Name: Seven days with Second-Order Cybernetics
will reach students in media studies and science collections alike, and comes from the inventor of
second-order cybernetics which acknowledges the investigator as part of the system he's looking
at. It reviews his ideas and philosophy, considers its lasting impact on scientific processes, and
was developed from a week-long conversation between the editors and the author near the end of
his life. Any interested in Von Foerster's works must include this as a wider-ranging inspection
of his philosophy.

The Photography Shelf

Data Protection for Photographers: A Guide to Storing and Protecting Your Valuable Digital
Assets assesses the tools, procedures and basics of image protection and storage and provides
details covering the best hardware, software, and practices for capturing and storing images and
data. It surveys the latest data protection technologies and provide descriptions of specific
products for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux systems, and it offers plenty of insights perfect for
any photographer looking to protect their work.

The Native American Studies Shelf

Literacy and Intellectual Life in the Cherokee Nation, 1820-1906 is a strong pick for American
literature and Native American studies collections alike, and will reach college-level readers with
a survey covering the rise of bilingual literacy in the Cherokee Nation during the 19th century
when political change in the Nation was at its height. By the 1820s Cherokees had perfected a
system for writing their language and taught it to all their citizens - then developed a strong
public school system that taught students in English. This English literacy gave Cherokees a
strength other Native American tribes didn't have, and fostered a literacy and intellectualism
among tribal members that helped unite them. The story of this evolving literacy is a powerful
celebration of their life and approach to the world, and is a unique contribution in the field.

The Art Shelf

An Introduction to Drawing the Human Body lives up to its title with reader-friendly, descriptive
instructions and illustrative black-and-white sketches, accessible to artists of all skill and and
experience levels. The text discusses how to assess dimensions and proportions, anatomical
structure, incorporating unusual viewpoints, capturing a moving sequence, drawing drapery and
clothing, and much more. The (mostly nude) adult male and female models are anatomically
correct, and accurately demonstrate key points of the text. "You can currently obtain artificial
skeletons made from plastic casts of an authentic skeleton and jointed to re-create the
relationships between the bone and the natural structure of the skeleton with a good degree of
realism. These skeletons can be found in many art schools and artists can use them to study body
parts and the body as a whole..." Highly recommended, whether as a supplement to coursework
or for independent study and practice in the craft of drawing.

A tattoo is a form of body modification, made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of
the skin to change the pigment and is a custom and practice reaching back into antiquity.
Expertly compiled by Superior Tattoo, "Tattoo Lettering Bible" is a 128 page compendium
comprised of 300 photos providing full color examples of the variety and diversity of tattoo
lettering and lettering designs. A unique, almost encyclopedically illustrated reference, "Tattoo
Lettering Bible" is especially recommended browsing for anyone contemplating obtaining tattoos
of there own and should be a part of every professional tattoo parlor's reference collection.

Italian Renaissance Art appears in its second updated edition to pack in over 400 images
throughout the work - some 250 in full color - and has been expanded to include new works and
topics as well as new treatment of mannerism and the role of women in visual arts. Maps,
diagrams, and history accompanies a chronology of Italian renaissance art that will appeal to any
arts collection primarily - but also to history holdings covering the Italian Renaissance era.
College-level readers in both these areas will find this a fine survey!

An Artist's Vision of New Orleans: The Paintings of Alan Flattman is a gorgeous collection of
pastels from the New Orleans artist and is recommended for arts and New Orleans collections
alike. An oversized format with full-page color reproductions enhances a volume gathering
works by Flattmann; many of which have been in private collections and are shared here for the
first time. His renditions of the city capture streets, neighborhoods, and the people and places of
New Orleans in a celebration that will delight any fan of pastel artistry in general and Louisiana culture in particular.

The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Voodoo Doll Spellbook: A Compendium of Recent and Contemporary Spells and Rituals is
a serious-minded guide based on New Orleans voodoo and hoodoo traditions, as well as
incorporating spellwork from ancient Egypt, Chaldea, Greece, Africa, Europe, and author Denise
Alvaradd's own grimoires. Individual incantations range from spells for self-improvement,
protection, good luck, and love charms, to aggressive spells that will make a couple quarrel, bind
or curse an enemy, or sway a person's opinion to one's personal direction. Methodical
descriptions of rituals, reproductions of chants, and guides for crafting effective hex dolls make
The Voodoo Doll Spellbook readily accessible to readers of all backgrounds - but like any other
form of power, Voodoo is a dangerous force, and should be utilized only with the greatest
respect, caution, and need. Highly recommended especially for metaphysical collections with a
focus on magic.

Chris H. Hardy, PhD's DNA OF THE GODS: THE ANUNNAKI CREATION OF EVE AND
THE ALIEN BATTLE FOR HUMANITY (9781591431855, $18.00) is for any interested in the
work of Zecharia Sitchin, and further develops his work by showing that the 'gods' of myth are
actually visitors from another world who created humans using their own DNA. Numerous
sacred texts are examined for evidence supporting this contention as Hardy details how humanity
was genetically engineered, and how the first female, Eve, contained more alien DNA than the
earlier male Adamu. An intriguing concept: one new age readers will find refreshingly different.
Bradford and Hillary Keeney's SEIKI JUTSU: THE PRACTICE OF NON-SUBTLE ENERGY
MEDICINE (9781620552346, $16.95) provides a fine guide to the ancient Japanese practice for
self-healing and discusses using seiki (life-force energy) for not just healing but improving
creativity. This practice doesn't require expertise or years of learning: it can be incorporated into
a daily practice, discussed here, and can be used to recharge the body. The result is a fine survey
recommended for any new age or alternative medicine collection. Ocha'ni Lele's OSOGBO:
SPEAKING TO THE SPIRITS OF MISFORTUNE (9781620550984, $16.95) discusses the
Santerian spirits of misfortune and starts with the story of his goddaughter's struggle with stage
IV cancer, exploring the Lucumi beliefs regarding osobgo and discussing the healing aspects of
the faith. The result is a fine survey of osobgo spirituality and comes from a priest of Oya who
provides fine insights into the rituals and beliefs involved, a recommendation for any new age
collection.

Servet Hasan's LIFE IN TRANSITION: AN INTUITIVE PATH TO NEW BEGINNINGS
(9780738738338, $15.99) offers new age and self-help readers important keys to facing issues
and discerning 'gifts' that have their source in loss, and is a recommendation for any who are
suffering a loss in their lives. Personal stories blend with meditations and exercises designed to
help embrace the pain and use it as a guide for better purposes, and shows how to use such
transitions as a catalyst for positive personal change. The result is an excellent survey
recommended for a wide audience. Djuna Wojton's KARMIC CHOICES: HOW MAKING THE
RIGHT DECISIONS CAN CREATE ENDURING JOY (9780738736167, $16.99) is for any
involved in personal change and healing processes, and offers exercises and questionnaires
designed to help readers get 'unstuck' from old issues and self-defeating routines. Chapters take
the form of a three-step karmic-based formula and show how to tap the help of family and friends
to help create new avenues to joy and new actions that make a positive impact on the world. Ana
Holub's FORGIVE AND BE FREE: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO RELEASE, HEALING,
AND HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS (9780738736174, $16.99) provides a step-by-step approach
to forgiveness and uses a spiritual foundation to blend case histories and stories with exercises to
promote serenity. Compassion, release and healing are encouraged in a process that considers
forgiveness at its deepest spiritual and emotional level. These are excellent recommendations not
just for new age readers, but for any who would hone the combined tools of self-help and
spiritual insight.

Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, and Meaning appears in its third updated
edition to provide an in-depth introduction to the historical styles of architectural design, and
packs in black and white photos and plan drawings covering some of the finest architecture in the
world. Chapters are reorganized for easy flow of subjects, there's a larger trim size for better
display of text and images, and an insert of some fifty full-color photos compliments discussions
of modern architecture. It remains the only text to discuss architecture as a cultural phenomenon,
making this a top recommendation over others for college-level readers of architectural
studies.

The Music Shelf

Josep Ferran Sorts i Muntades (baptized 14 February 1778 - died 10 July 1839) was a Spanish
classical guitarist and composer. While he is best known for his guitar compositions, he also
composed music for a wide range of genres, including opera, orchestra, string quartet, piano,
voice, and ballet. His ballet score Cendrillon (Cinderella) received over one hundred
performances. Sor's works for guitar range from pieces for beginning players to advanced players
such as 'Variations on a Theme of Mozart'. Sor's contemporaries considered him to be the best
guitarist in the world, and his works for guitar have been widely played and reprinted since his
death. The eight volume in the Pendragon Press 'Annotated Reference Tools in Music' series,
"Fernando Sor: A Bibliography of Published Literature and Music" is a 135 page compendium
comprised of a chronologically organized and presented bibliography. Included are entries on and
about Fernando Sor are included from 532 authors, 105 periodicals, and 154 publishers. Six
indexes ably provide access to the information organized in the pages of "Fernando Sor: A
Bibliography of Published Literature and Music", making it a critically important addition to
academic library Musicology reference collections in general, and students of Fernando Sor life
and accomplishments in particular.

Leonard Norman Cohen, CC GOQ (born 21 September 1934) is a Canadian singer-songwriter,
musician, poet, and novelist. His work has explored religion, politics, isolation, sexuality, and
personal relationships. Cohen has been inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
and both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is
also a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honour. In 2011, Cohen
received a Prince of Asturias Award for literature. The latest addition to the outstanding series
'Musicians in Their Own Words' from the Chicago Review Press, "Leonard Cohen on Leonard
Cohen: Interviews and Encounters" is a substantial 624 page compendium comprised of
chronologically presented interviews and descriptive meetings with Cohen over some five
decades. Informed, informative, enhanced with eight pages of photographs, a bibliography of
Leonard Cohen's published writings, and a useful index, "Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen:
Interviews and Encounters" wonderfully showcases the life and work of one of the most
culturally influential men of the second half of the 20th Century. Very highly recommended for
community library collections, and a 'must read' for Cohen's legions of fans, it should be noted
that "Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen: Interviews and Encounters" is also available in a
paperback edition (Omnibus Press, 9781783055678, $20.98) and a Kindle edition ($11.99).

K-Pop Now! The Korean Music Revolution is a wonderful blend of Korean cultural observation
and pop music history, and comes from an author who writes about the South Korean
entertainment industry with authority and enthusiasm, pairing words with lively color photos.
Mark Russell has lived in Korea and written about its pop culture and music scene for over a
decade, so his is the perfect introduction to discuss its development, trends, and influences. A
'must' for any collection strong in South Korean culture in general and music in particular.

The poetry of Owen Marshall is 'steeped in the Classics, history, and literature, and yet is alive
with the vivid particulars of damp duffle-coats and hot-air balloons, beer and bicycles, willows
and skylarks, kauri gum and limestone tunnels'. Erudite, insightful, observant, wry, and above all
-- memorable, "The White Clock: Poems" is a 94 page compendium showcasing a truly gifted
poet who is a master of free verse and highly recommended reading. 'Hanging In': I have a
sneaking admiration for the buggers who persist / when the cautious and the canny have decided
to desist. / They hang on in there after others see the cause as lost. / They're in it to the bitter end,
no matter what the cost.

Now published by the Florida Academic Press in a Centennial Edition, "The British Poetry Of
WWI" is a 188 page compendium comprised of poetry and verse written by members of the
British military serving in the horrific battlefields of World War I. Expertly compiled and edited
into an outstanding anthology by Candace Elmquist Barnes, these are timeless and time lost
expressions of the human experience and the horrors of warfare. Still appropriate and germane to
a contemporary world where wars and rumors of wars are the daily fare of nightly news
broadcasts, "The British Poetry Of WWI" is very highly recommended reading and a core
addition to community and academic library poetry collections. 'To Germany': You are blind like
us. Your hurt no man designed, / And no man claimed the conquest of your land. / But gropers
both through fields of thought confined / We stumble and we do not understand / You only saw
your future bigly planned, / And we, the tapering paths of our own mind, / And in each other's
dearest ways we stand / And hiss and hate. And the blind fight the blind. // When it is peace, then
we may view again / With new-won eyes each other's truer form / And wonder. Grown more
loving-kind and warm / We'll grasp firm hands and laugh at the old pain, / When it is peace. But
until peace, the storm / The darkness and the thunder and the rain.

The Fiction Shelf

Egyptian author Radwa Ashour reveals her sublime talent in her novel The Woman from
Tantoura, a story set amid the chaotic backdrop of Palestine. Although the characters of the novel
are fictional (except for some references to historical or political figures), the story draws directly
upon real cities and events, including the documented massacres of Tantoura, of the Sabra and
Shatila refugee camps, and other locations. The Woman from Tantoura is told from the
perspective of Ruqayya, who begins as a young girl struggling to make sense of the violence and
diaspora that shatters her family and her homeland. Serious-minded, severe, and profound, The
Woman from Tantoura is an unforgettable story about the human search for meaning in the wake
of suffering and tragedy. Highly recommended.

Noir fiction is a literary genre closely related to hardboiled detective mystery genre with a
distinction that the protagonist is not a detective, but instead either a victim, a suspect, or a
perpetrator. Other common characteristics include the self-destructive qualities of the
protagonist. A typical protagonist of the noir fiction is dealing with the legal, political or other
system that is no less corrupt than the perpetrator by whom the protagonist is either victimized
and/or has to victimize others on a daily basis, leading to lose-lose situation. Charles Williams
(1909 - 1975) was a master of the noir fiction genre, with several of his paperback stories being
used as the basis for Hollywood films. Now to the benefit of a whole new generation of
appreciative readers, the Stark House Press has reissued a two-in-one featuring two classic
Charles Williams stories under one cover. "Nothing In Her Way" is a complex story of two con
artists. "River Girl" is a 'backwoods thriller' about a man who falls for the wrong woman. Solid
entertainment, "Nothing In Her Way / River Girl" is highly recommended and entertaining
reading. Of special note is inclusion of a Charles Williams bibliography that provides a complete
and chronologically organized listing of both his novels and his short stories.

"The Phantom Lover and Other Thrilling Tales of Thailand" by Thailand based travel writer Jim
Algie is a 320 page compendium comprised of nine deftly written short stories that are offer the
reader extraordinary excursions into the horrific and macabre with a special Thailand twist. The
stories include The Death Kiss of a King Cobra Show; Flashpoints in Asia; Wet Nightmares; The
Legendary Nobody; Obituary for the Khaosan Road Outlaws and Imposters; Life and Death
Sentences; The Vicious Little Monk; Tsunami; and the title piece, The Phantom Lover. An
engaging entertainment from first page to last, "The Phantom Lover" is highly recommended to
fans of the horror genre. It should noted that "The Phantom Love" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($10.59).

The Woodworking Shelf

In "Handmade Furniture: 21 Classic Woodworking Projects to Build for Your Home", author
Rafael Nathan draws upon his many years of experience and expertise as a professional furniture
maker to provide avid do-it-yourself woodworkers with twenty-one beautiful wooden furniture
projects ranging from trays and service tables, to tables, cabinets, storage and boxes. Beautifully
and profusely illustrated in full color throughout, each individual project comes with complete
step-by-step instructions that are thoroughly 'user friendly' and will enable even the most novice
of wood workers to turn out elegantly impressive handmade items that would grace any domestic
setting and 'last a lifetime'! Superbly organized and presented, "Handmade Furniture: 21 Classic
Woodworking Projects to Build for Your Home" is truly extraordinary and highly recommended
for personal, professional, and community library do-it-yourself woodworking instructional
reference collections.

The Memoir Shelf

Barbara Hendricks (born November 20, 1948) is an African-American operatic soprano and
concert singer. Hendricks has lived in Europe since 1977, and in Switzerland in Basel since
1985. She is a also citizen of Sweden by marriage. "Lifting My Voice: A Memoir" is a 496 page
compendium in which Hendrick's recounts her life and her work. Of special note is her
involvement with respect to human rights issues. Enhanced with the inclusion of a complete
discography of her recordings and a comprehensive Index, "Lifting My Voice: A Memoir" is
highly recommended reading for her legions of fans and will prove to be an enduringly popular
addition to community and academic library American Biography collections. It should be noted
that "Lifting My Voice: A Memoir" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).

A Dancer in the Revolution: Stretch Johnson, Harlem Communist at the Cotton Club is the
memoir of Howard Eugene Johnson (1915-2000), also known as "Stretch" Johnson because of
his 6' 5" height. Stretch was a tap dancer and social activist; he was a member of the N.A.A.C.P.
since age 15, and served among the Buffalo Soldiers during World War II, earning two purple
hearts. He joined the Young Communist League of Harlem in 1940, in part motivated by horrific
lynchings taking place in the American South, but he left the Communist Party USA in the late
1950s along with many other members, in response to Khrushchev's testimony about Stalin. In
addition to recounting Stretch's efforts for social justice, A Dancer in the Revolution is also open
about sexual issues - including the "homoerotic tourism" that was a part of 1930's Harlem
nightlife. A handful of vintage black-and-white photographic plates illustrate this extraordinary
glimpse into a cultural nexus of writers, artists, performers, and activists, over the decades.
Highly recommended.

The Humor Shelf

Former attorney turned award-winning cartoonist Stephan Pastis presents Pearls Falls Fast, the
latest treasury of two years' worth of "Pearls Before Swine" newspaper comic strips, including
Sunday strips in full color. Pastis' love of convoluted puns, anthropomorphic animal antics,
narrative self-insertion, and pushing the envelope of what newspapers will allow (several of
Pastis' strips created controversy over everything from his portrayal of guns to his alleged
intolerance of cyclists and polka music) shines through. Pearls Falls Fast also features Pastis' own
commentary on most of his strips - from their unique inspirations, to the letters-to-the-newspaper
kerfuffle they sometimes generated, to his own art errors, and sardonic side thoughts. "''Do you
think each of us has free will?' 'No. Only some of us.' 'Why do you say that?' 'Because not
everyone bought the DVD.' 'Free Will, not Free Willy.' 'Oh, great. Is that some boring re-make?'
[Commentary: 'I need to start making movie references that are not twenty years old.']" Pearls
Falls Fast is guilty-pleasure-funny from cover to cover, enthusiastically recommended as a
giftbook for anyone would could use a good laugh.

The latest in a long line of wonderful anthology collections of Lynn Johnston's newspaper comic
strip 'For Better or For Worse', "It's One Thing After Another!: For Better or For Worse 4th
Treasury" is a 216 page compendium that is comprised of the hilarious family based humorous
comic strip in 1985. But what makes this hardcover anthology truly stand out is artist and
storyteller Lynn Johnston's personal commentaries that provide a simply outstanding frame of
reference for the ideas and characters that comprised her comedic artistry. "It's One Thing After
Another!: For Better or For Worse 4th Treasury" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition
to community library humor collections and should be considered 'must' reading for Lynn
Johnston's legions of appreciative fans! It should be noted that "It's One Thing After Another!:
For Better or For Worse 4th Treasury" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.69).

The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Compiled with descriptive commentary by Eric Bradley, "Mantiques: A Manly Guide To Cool
Stuff" is a 176 page, profusely illustrated compendium of antiques and collectibles with a special
appeal to men. From vintage barware, to entertainment memorabilia, to surfing collectibles, to
guns and knives, to sports collectibles, to video games, and a great deal more, "Mantiques: A
Manly Guide To Cool Stuff" is a delight to simply browse through. Guaranteed to be an
enduringly popular addition to community library collections, "Mantiques: A Manly Guide To
Cool Stuff" is very highly recommended to the attention of every man who has ever had a
personal collection of any kind that the women in his life simply didn't understand what the
attraction was!

The Holocaust Studies Shelf

Buchenwald concentration camp was a World War II German Nazi concentration camp
established on the Ettersberg (Etter Mountain) near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937. It was one
of the first and the largest of the concentration camps on German soil, following Dachau's
opening just over four years earlier. Prisoners from all over Europe and the Soviet Union - Jews,
non-Jewish Poles and other Slavs, the mentally ill and physically-disabled from birth defects,
religious and political prisoners, Roma and Sinti, Freemasons, Jehovah's Witnesses, criminals,
homosexuals, and prisoners of war - worked primarily as forced labor in local armaments
factories. From 1945 to 1950, the camp was used by the Soviet occupation authorities as an
internment camp, known as NKVD special camp number 2. Today the remains of Buchenwald
serve as a memorial and permanent exhibition and museum. The third volume in the outstanding
Cable Publishing 'The Buchenwald Trilogy', Flint Whitlock's "Buchenwald: Hell On A Hilltop"
is a 374 page compendium that provides a detailed history of this infamous death camp from it's
horrific origins to its current use as a kind of cultural and historic memorial. Enhanced with
occasional black-and-white historical photos, a double-page map of the camp, Source Notes, an
extensive Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index, "Buchenwald: Hell On A Hilltop" is an
extraordinary and important contribution to community and academic library Holocaust Studies
and 20th Century European History collections. It should be noted that "Buchenwald: Hell On A
Hilltop" is also available in both a paperback edition (9781934980736, $18.95) and a Kindle
edition ($9.95).

The Civil War Shelf

Available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats, Citizen-General: Jacob Dolson Cox and
the Civil War Era is the biography of a civilian - Jacob Dolson Cox, a former divinity student
who lacked any formal military training - who suddenly became a commander in the Union Army
during the American Civil War. Called upon to lead his fellow citizens in his country's time of
need, Cox served in the Battle of Antietam; helped break a Confederate supply line in the Atlanta
region; and held a defensive line in the Battle of Franklin, a Union victory that sealed the fate of
the Confederate cause in the West. Yet Cox's greatest fame was destined to be not as a military
commander, but rather a military historian; to this day, scholars look to his accounts of the
conflict as a key primary source of the Civil War. Citizen-General is a welcome addition to Civil
War history and biography shelves, highly recommended.

City historian emeritus Gordon L. Olson presents The Notorious Isaac Earl and His Scouts:
Union Soldiers, Prisoners, Spies, an extraordinary study of a counterguerrilla unit of Union
soldiers, led by Isaac Earl, a bold lieutenant from Wisconsin. Their story shines a spotlight on the
Civil War's "irregular warfare", including its evolution of guerrilla tactics. Black-and-white
photographs and artworks, appendices, a bibliography, and an index enhance this extensive,
inclusive study of Earl's "special scouts", highly recommended for both public and college library
Civil War collections.

So You Think You Know Gettysburg? Volume 2 is the follow-up volume to the award-winning
book "So You Think You Know Gettysburg? The Stories Behind the Monuments and the Men
Who Fought One of America's Most Epic Battles". Like its predecessor, volume 2 elaborates on
the true stories behind the brave soldiers honored with monuments upon America's most famous
Civil War battlefield. Full-color photographs of the individual monuments are paired with each
vignette; the tales range from darkly ironic to outright tragic, and reflect the self-sacrificing
bravery of those who served in the deadly battle. So You Think You Know Gettysburg? Volume
2 is a choice pick for military history buffs, anyone curious about lesser-known Civil War stories,
and armchair travelers who would pay their silent respects to fallen Civil War heroes. Highly
recommended!

The Hobby Shelf

Featuring full-color photography on virtually ever page, The DCC Guide is an in-depth resource
for model railroad hobbyists that especially focuses upon Digital Command Control (DCC)
systems, which allow operators to control their trains independently, without using electrical
blocks. Chapters discuss how DCC systems evolved, decoder programming, how to choose a
DCC system, installing speakers and sound decoders, and much more. The updated second
edition includes new content such as how to utilize Java Model Railroad Interface technology
and software, how to operate a DCC-equipped layout through one's smartphone or tablet, updated
information on program decoders and downloadable sounds, and updated product and
manufacturer listings. Serious hobbyists will find The DCC Guide extremely useful, thorough,
and practical minded!

Corvette Sting Ray: Genesis of an American Icon is a coffee-table book tribute to the Corvette
Sting Ray automobile, first created in 1963. Its sleek, aerodynamic shape and its controversial
"split window" made it immediately recognizable among all Corvette models before or since.
Corvette Sting Ray: Genesis of an American Icon features both vintage black-and-white and a
wealth of full-color photography to supplement the text tracing the Sting Ray's origins in detail,
its production, usage, and legacy for both fans and automobile industry as a whole. Corvette
Sting Ray is an amazing and enlightening tour of a cherished piece of automotive history,
especially recommended as a giftbook for avid connoisseurs!

This large print edition of a terrifically well written action/adventure western is the story of
Arizona cowboy Jesse Glover who is charged with President Ulysses Grant to try and make
peace between the white miners and soldiers of Fort Bowie and the Apaches led by Cochise and
Geronimo. With a great many plot twists and turns, along with such memorable characters as a
White Mountain Apache girl named Morning Star, a corrupt Indian Agent, a military commander
to whom the only good Apache is a dead Apache, and Sam, a once enslaved Zulu warrior
adopted by the Apache, "Three Rode Together" is a riveting read from beginning to end and
highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library western fiction
collections.

The American History Shelf

The French and Indian War and the Conquest of New France
William R. Nester
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive
Norman, OK 73069
9780806144351 $34.95 www.oupress.com

The French and Indian War and the Conquest of New France is a heavily researched and detailed
accounting of a war destined to shape the futures of France, America, and Native American
tribes. Thought the war began with a French victory (in which young Lieutenant Colonel George
Washington was soundly defeated at Fort Necessity), it swiftly blossomed into a financial
albatross around imperial France's neck. The gigantic cost of soldiers, munitions, and ships was
further compounded by systemic incompetence that virtually guaranteed France's defeat. The
French and Indian War and the Conquest of New France describes how one military or
diplomatic opportunity after another was lost, as well as the dynamic military, cultural, and
economic forces shaping the course of the war. Notes, a bibliography, and an index round out
this excellent, accessible study, highly recommended especially for public and college library
American History collections.

Historian and Indian Wars specialist Jerome A. Greene presents American Carnage: Wounded
Knee, 1890, an exhaustive, in-depth history and analysis of one of the American military's most
notorious massacres of American Indian (Lakota) men, women, and children. An extensive
catalogue of primary sources, including many little-known or previously unknown testimonies,
form the basis of this scholarly, thoughtful, and thorough study, enhanced with notes, a
bibliography, and an index. Accessible to readers of all background despite its wealth of detail,
American Carnage is a "must-have" especially for public and college library American History
and Native American Studies shelves. "It is important to note that earlier conflicts in the West
involved the resistance of Indians to being placed on reservations. But Wounded Knee involved
the Lakotas' efforts to deal with critical survival issues facing them on their reservations.
Wounded Knee therefore was not the last of the Indian wars, as it is frequently called. That
distinction rightly belongs to the Apache outbreak preceding Geronimo's surrender in 1886.
Wounded Knee was something different."

The Spanish - American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, the
result of American intervention in the Cuban War of Independence. American attacks on Spain's
Pacific possessions led to involvement in the Philippine Revolution and ultimately to the
Philippine - American War and the acquisition of the Philippines as an American possession.
"The Spanish-American War: A Documentary History with Commentaries" is a 280 page
compendium compiled and edited by Brad K. Berner (Professor of History and English Language
in Moscow, Russia) and featuring an informative Foreword by Kalman Goldstein. Providing an
historical overview of the conflict with respect to the issues that led to war from 1895 to 1898,
including the ultimately failure of diplomacy (1896-1898), "The Spanish-American War: A
Documentary History with Commentaries" is organized into chapters devoted to The War at
Home; The War in Cuba; The War in the Philippines; The War in Puerto Rico. Of special note
are the chapters on Negotiating the Peace (July 18--December 10, 1898) and Post-War
Developments. Enhanced with a Selected Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index, "The
Spanish-American War: A Documentary History with Commentaries" is an impressive work of
detailed scholarship and a highly recommended addition to community and academic library 19th
Century American History reference collections in general, and Spanish-American War
supplemental reading lists in particular. it should be noted that "The Spanish-American War: A
Documentary History with Commentaries" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.00).

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 - April 15, 1865) was the 16th President of the United
States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Lincoln led the United
States through its Civil War - its bloodiest war and its greatest moral, constitutional and political
crisis. In so doing he preserved the Union, abolished slavery, strengthened the federal
government, and modernized the economy. Reared in a poor family on the western frontier,
Lincoln was a self-educated lawyer in Illinois, a Whig Party leader, state legislator during the
1830s, and a one-term member of the Congress during the 1840s. He promoted rapid
modernization of the economy through banks, canals, railroads and tariffs to encourage the
building of factories; he opposed the war with Mexico in 1846. After a series of highly
publicized debates in 1858, during which Lincoln spoke out against the expansion of slavery, he
lost the U.S. Senate race to his archrival, Democrat Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln, a moderate
from a swing state, secured the Republican Party presidential nomination in 1860. With very
little support in the slave states, Lincoln swept the North and was elected president in 1860. His
election prompted seven southern slave states to form the Confederacy by February 1862. The
newest volume in the outstanding 'Concise Lincoln Library' series from Southern Illinois
University Press, "Lincoln's Campaign Biographies" by Thomas A. Horrocks (Director of Special
Collections and the John Hay Library at Brown University) is a 168 page compendium focused
specifically and exclusively on Lincoln's political campaigns for public office in general, and the
role more than twenty campaign biographies played in shaping the public image of Lincoln as a
candidate in particular. An impressive and seminal work of meticulous scholarship, "Lincoln's
Campaign Biographies" is a welcome and invaluable addition to community and academic
library Lincoln Studies and 19th Century American Political History reference collections. It
should be noted that "Lincoln's Campaign Biographies" is also available in a Kindle edition
($15.73).

Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States.
Nevada is the 7th most extensive, the 35th most populous, and the 9th least densely populated of
the 50 United States. Nearly three-quarters of Nevada's people live in Clark County, which
contains the Las Vegas - Paradise metropolitan area where the state's three largest incorporated
cities are located. Nevada's capital is Carson City. Nevada is officially known as the "Silver
State" due to the importance of silver to its history and economy. It is also known as the "Battle
Born State", because it achieved statehood during the Civil War; "Sagebrush State", for the
native eponymous plant; and "Sage hen State." Nevada is largely desert and semiarid, with much
of it located within the Great Basin. Areas south of the Great Basin are located within the Mojave
Desert, while Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada lie on the western edge. Approximately 86% of
the state's land is managed by various jurisdictions of the U.S. federal government, both civilian
and military. Compiled and edited by Geoff Schumacher, "Nevada: 150 Years in the Silver State"
is a profusely illustrated, 256 page compendium comprised showcasing the history of the state of
Nevada over the past 15 decades. Of special note are the chapters presenting Nevadan culture,
sport, and tourist destinations. Informed and informative, "Nevada: 150 Years in the Silver State"
is enhanced with the inclusion of a chart of Nevada's population statistics by decade, a roster of
Nevada's governors from 1861 to the present day, a two page bibliography of Recommended
Readings, and a six page roster of the editors and contributors to "Nevada: 150 Years in the
Silver State". Entertaining and educational to simply browse through, "Nevada: 150 Years in the
Silver State" is very highly recommended for community and academic library American History
collections in general, and Nevadan State History supplemental studies reading lists in
particular.

Small Town America in World War II
Ronald E. Marcello
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415513 $24.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Small Town America in World War II: War Stories from Wrightsville, Pennsylvania gathers oral
histories from civilians and veterans impacted by the America's efforts to mobilize and
participate in World War II. The interviews are organized by the subjects' connections to salient
locations - the home front; the North African-Italian, European, and Pacific theatres; stateside
military service; and the occupation of Germany. The candid personal testimonies offer a unique
glimpse to the challenges, horrors, and realities of war. "We infantrymen never had any hint
about grand strategy. I never knew much of anything. They'd say, 'Go up [there]! There're
Germans up [there]. And we'd go. You know, the company commander would say, 'We're going
[here]' and things like that. They'd tell the platoon leader, and he'd tell the sergeant: 'We're going
to do [this].'" Small Town America in World War II is a welcome addition to public and college
library oral history shelves, highly recommended.

The World History Shelf

Written in a narrative style accessible to readers of all backgrounds, South Pacific Cauldron:
World War II's Great Forgotten Battlegrounds is a complete history of all World War II battles
and conflicts that took place in the South Pacific Cauldron region, including numerous
little-known operations such as the final Australian campaigns. Also studied are the story about
the death of a leading Marine Corps general at his headquarters, a cover-up about this death that
had Admiral Halsey's approval, and the problems and issues unique to a segregated Army and its
African-American combat troops. A handful of black-and-white maps and photographs as well as
notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this invaluable contribution to military and world
history shelves.

Brian Boru (c. 941 - 23 April 1014) was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High
Kingship of Ireland by the Ui Neill. Building on the achievements of his father, Cennetig mac
Lorcain, and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain, Brian first made himself King of Munster,
then subjugated Leinster, eventually becoming King of All Ireland. He is the founder of the
O'Brien dynasty. "1014: Brian Boru & The Battle For Ireland" by Morgan Llwelynn is the result
of some 30 years of dedicated research and study. It's the story (as reconstructed by that seminal
research) of a battle that took place by the native Irish and the invading Norsemen in the year
1014 A.D. in which the Irish (at great cost to themselves) were able to drive back the Norsemen.
This is a deftly written history that reads as smoothly as a novel. Informed and informative,
"1014: Brian Boru & The Battle For Ireland" is an outstanding read and highly recommended for
community and academic library Irish History reference collections and supplemental reading
lists.

The Relationship Shelf

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may develop after a person is exposed to one or more
traumatic events, such as sexual assault, serious injury, or the threat of death. The diagnosis may
be given when a group of symptoms, such as disturbing recurring flashbacks, avoidance or
numbing of memories of the event, and hyperarousal continue for more than a month after the
traumatic event. Most people having experienced a traumatizing event will not develop PTSD.
Women are more likely to experience higher impact events, and are also more likely to develop
PTSD than men. Children are less likely to experience PTSD after trauma than adults, especially
if they are under ten years of age. War veterans are commonly at risk to PTSD. "Loving Someone
with PTSD: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Connecting with Your Partner after
Trauma" by trauma expert Aphrodite T. Matsakis is a 256 page compendium comprised of what
is essential an instruction manual that begins by defining PTSD and then relating it to
relationship issues, basic communication skills, decision making, PTSD triggers and responses,
and PTSD based crisis (panic attacks, rage reactions, domestic violence, addiction, suicide). Of
special note is the concluding chapter, PTSD Therapy and You. Enhanced with an extensive
roster of Resources and References, "Loving Someone with PTSD" should be considered
mandatory reading for anyone having to deal with PTSD within themselves or with a loved one.
It should be noted that "Loving Someone with PTSD" is also available in a Kindle edition
($9.39).

The Language Studies Shelf

Sanskrit the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, a philosophical language in Hinduism,
Buddhism, and Jainism, and a scholarly literary language that was in use as a lingua franca in the
Indian cultural zone. It is a standardized dialect of Old Indo-Aryan, originating as Vedic Sanskrit
and tracing its linguistic ancestry back to Proto-Indo-Iranian and ultimately to
Proto-Indo-European. Today it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an
official language of the state of Uttarakhand. Sanskrit holds a prominent position in
Indo-European studies. The corpus of Sanskrit literature encompasses a rich tradition of poetry
and drama as well as scientific, technical, philosophical and dharma texts. Sanskrit continues to
be widely used as a ceremonial language in Hindu religious rituals and Buddhist practice in the
forms of hymns and mantras. Spoken Sanskrit has been revived in some villages with traditional
institutions, and there are attempts at further popularization. "Sanskrit for Seekers" by Sanskrit
expert and Advaita scholar Dennis Waite is a 205 page instructional guide specifically designed
to help readers learn the rudiments of Sanskrit and thereby enabling them to read the script,
pronounce words and look them up in a dictionary. "Sanskrit for Seekers" utilizes the ITRANS
transliteration scheme commonly found on the Internet. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in its
accessibility, organization, and presentation, "Sanskrit For Seekers" is highly recommended for
personal, community, and academic library Language Studies instructional reference collections
in general, and Sanskrit Studies in particular. It should be noted that "Sanskrit For Seekers" is
also available in a Kindle edition ($7.69).

Endocytosis is an energy-using process by which cells absorb molecules (such as proteins) by
engulfing them. It is used by all cells of the body because most substances important to them are
large polar molecules that cannot pass through the hydrophobic plasma or cell membrane. The
opposite process is exocytosis. The newest addition to the outstanding 'Cold Spring Harbor
Perspectives in Biology' series, "Endocytosis" is the collaborative editorial project of Sandra L.
Schmid (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center), Alexander Sorkin (University of
Pittsburgh School of Medicine), and Marino Zerial (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell
Biology and Genetics). This illustrated, 590 page compendium is comprised of thirty-two
seminal research articles by experts in the field and 'covers all of the major pathways of
endocytosis and postendocytic trafficking and how they regulate cellular and organismal
physiology. A seminal body of outstanding medical scholarship, "Endocytosis" is an essential
addition to academic library Medical Studies reference collections, and will prove to be of
immense interest and value tocell biologists, neuroscientists, immunologists, developmental
biologists, microbiologists, and anyone with a professional or personal interest in the
physiological and therapeutic implications of Endocytosis as a key cellular process.

The Library Science Shelf

The critical and enduring importance of web sites for public, academic, corporate, and
governmental library web sites cannot be underestimated. The newest addition to the American
Library Associations' outstanding 'Lita Guide' series is "Responsive Web Design for Libraries"
by Matthew Reidsma (Web Services Librarian, Grand Valley State university, Allendale,
Michigan, and Editor-in-Chief of 'Weave: Journal of Library User Experience) is a 152 page
compendium of superbly organized and accessible presented information on the importance of
web design; implementing responsive web design on existing sites; invaluable and practical web
development and design tips; sound advice for making vendor sites responsive; and a wealth of
illustrative screen captures, associated code samples, and links to additional resources. A
succinct instruction manual, "Responsive Web Design for Libraries" should be considered an
essential study and important addition to academic Library Science reference collections and the
supplemental reading lists for any library staff member charged with the responsibility of
implementing, developing, maintaining, or improving a library web site.

"Web Metrics For Library And Informational Professionals" by David Stuart (Researcher in the
Centre for e-Research at King's College London) is a 192 page compendium that provides
librarians with an informative and practical introduction to web metrics, bibliometrics,
webometrics, and data collection tools. "Web Metrics For Library And Informational
Professionals" will enable librarians to evaluate social media impact, web impact, relationships
between entities on the web; and explore traditional publications in a new cyberspace
environment. Of special note is Stuart's commentary on the future of web metrics and the library
professional. A seminal work of impressive scholarship, "Web Metrics For Library And
Informational Professionals" is very highly recommended for practicing librarians in community,
academic, corporate, and governmental library systems, as well as informational professionals
charged with the responsibility for gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting web
metrics.

A lot of people have ambitions to write the next 'Great American Novel', but very few of them
have any idea as to how to go about it. That's where "My Guide: How To Write A Novel" by the
team of Claire Pickering and Rebecca Richmond comes into play. This 340 page compendium is
a complete and comprehensive instruction manual that is so well designed and presented that it is
an ideal, almost step-by-step instructional guide that anyone can follow in creating a novel that
will be publishable -- and profitable! Beginning 'Developing Your Craft (an opening chapter on
how to get started), "My Guide: How To Write A Novel" is organized offers informed and
informative chapters on Research and Preparation; Laying the Foundation for Your Novel;
Crafting Your Storyline; Characters; Adding Power; Dialogue; Grammar and Other Important
Factors; Spelling, Punctuation and Other Important Considerations; Consolidating and Final
Polish. One great distinction that sets "My Guide: How To Write A Novel" above other 'how to'
writing manuals is an entire chapter specifically devoted to 'Seven Steps to Publication'. An
extraordinarily well crafted instruction manual that is ideal for anyone with no previous
experience as a novelist, "My Guide: How To Write A Novel" is very highly recommended for
personal, community, and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional reference
collections. Ideal as a curriculum textbook for Creative Writing classes, it should be noted that
"My Guide: How To Write A Novel" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.35).

There are a lot of high school and college classes on writing. A great many Creative Writing
Workshops pretty much anywhere in the country. But almost none of them preparing aspiring
authors on how to go about being published -- and even fewer that tackle the very real and
competitive world of marketing books to the reading public. That's why "Market and Sell Books:
A My Guide" will prove to be an invaluable addition to the reference collections of anyone who
would seek to become a financially successful author regardless of whether they are writing
fiction or non-fiction. This 232 page compendium is the collaborative effort of Claire Pickering
and Rebecca Richmond who distill their years of experience and expertise in creating a number
of self-help books into a thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction manual that covers every aspect of
marketing a book to its intended readership. Beginning with 'Why People Buy a Novel', and
covering such essential issues as selecting a title, choosing a cover, setting a price, the role of
endorsements, blurbs, and the author bio, to marketing tools ranging from the use of social media
including Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, Pinterest, web sites, and blogging. Basically a
complete course of book marketing under one cover, "Market And Sell Books: A My Guide" will
teach authors (and novice publishers as well!) everything needed to create, implement, and
evaluate a book marketing promotional campaign. One very special feature are the 'Summary:
Key Points & Next Steps' sections that conclude each of the ten major chapters. Enhanced with a
'Final Note From the Authors', a Glossary, and an Index, "Market And Sell Books: A My Guide"
should be considered mandatory reading for anyone wanting to bring their work to the attention
of reviewers, booksellers, librarians, and the general reading public. Especially recommended for
any Creative Writing Class supplemental reading list, it should be noted that "Market And Sell
Books: A My Guide" is also available in a Kindle edition ($1.65).

The Philosophy Shelf

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (15 October 1844 - 25 August 1900) was a German philologist,
philosopher, cultural critic, poet and composer. He wrote several critical texts on religion,
morality, contemporary culture, philosophy and science, displaying a fondness for metaphor,
irony and aphorism. Maurice Merleau-Ponty (14 March 1908 - 3 May 1961) was a French
phenomenological philosopher, strongly influenced by Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger.
The constitution of meaning in human experience was his main interest and he wrote on
perception, art and politics. "Ambiguity and the Absolute: Nietzsche and Merleau-Ponty on the
Question of Truth" by Frank Chouraqui (Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Koc University,
Istanbul, Turkey) is a 328 page compendium comprised of six erudite chapters providing an
analytical comparison of these two influential European philosophers on the subject and concept
of 'truth'. Enhanced with extensive Notes, a ten page Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index,
"Ambiguity and the Absolute: Nietzsche and Merleau-Ponty on the Question of Truth" is an
impressive and seminal work of original scholarship and very highly recommended for academic
library Philosophy Studies reference collections, as well as Nietzhian Studies supplemental
reading lists in particular.

Now in its third updated edition, Webster's New Explorer Spanish-English Dictionary is a
hardcover, bilingual reference filled with over 80,000 entries and 1000,000 translations,
including 5,000 new translations and hundreds of new words. Spanish-to-English and
English-to-Spanish translations are both covered. Introductions and instructions are in English (to
explain Spanish grammar) and Spanish (to explain English grammar) as well, including an
explanatory notes section, instructions for conjugating verbs, common Spanish and English
abbreviations, metric system conversions, and more. Webster's New Explorer Spanish-English
Dictionary is a "must-have" for public and college library reference collections, as well as anyone
who needs to solve translation problems on a regular basis!

Alliance for Biking & Walking presents Bicycling and Walking in the United States 2014
Benchmarking Report, a reference compiled by The Benchmarking Project, collecting data from
all 50 states and 52 of America's most populated cities (as well as 17 small and midsized cities as
of the 2014 edition). The collected data examines the levels of biking and walking, crash
fatalities, weekly physical activity, transportation costs, air quality, economic growth, and other
interrelated factors. Full-color charts and photographs throughout enhance the raw data,
presented with extensive explanations to make it comprehensible and accessible to readers of all
backgrounds. Bicycling and Walking in the United States 2014 Benchmarking Report is
especially recommended for public library reference collections, and as an indispensable resource
when considering any public or private policy concerning these two transportation modes.

The Law/Justice Shelf

Nolo Press is well-known for its thorough, "reader-friendly" legal guides designed expressly to
answer the questions of lay readers! Now in an updated sixth edition, Becoming a U.S. Citizen is
a resource covering the latest laws and government policies involved in legally earning American
citizenship. Chapters clearly explain how to learn whether one is eligible for citizenship, evaluate
the risks and rewards of applying for citizenship, fill out application forms, prepare for the
citizenship exam and for interviews, handle setbacks in the process, and more. Also covered are
how to take advantage of special benefits and procedures if one is disabled, in the military, or the
spouse of a U.S. citizen. Author Ilona Bray, J.D. is an expert in immigration law, and skilled and
communicating legal concepts in plain terms. Becoming a U.S. Citizen also gives the reader
access to a unique web page on nolo.com with relevant podcasts, blogs, and the latest legal
updates. Like all legal resources, Becoming a U.S. Citizen cannot substitute for the counsel of a
licensed attorney (the text specifically points out situations where seeking such counsel is
strongly recommended, or absolutely necessary), but even for readers in these situations,
Becoming a U.S. Citizen is an invaluable means to prepare before speaking with professionals
who bill by the hour. Highly recommended, especially for public library collections.

The Money/Finance Shelf

Lars Kroijer, a former fund manager in the asset management industry, presents Investing
Demystified: How to Invest Without Speculation and Sleepless Nights, a guide to creating a
reliable investment strategy customized for one's specific needs. Also available as an ebook,
Investing Demystified avoids excessive jargon and defines investment lingo in plain terms; the
result is accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Chapters discuss the importance of broad
diversification (spreading one's investments through a mix of stocks, bonds, and cash), how to
evaluate the right level of risk for one's own needs, the benefits of a "low-cost approach",
implications of tax and liquidity, and much more. "...consider the 85-90% of investors who invest
in active managers as opposed to index-tracking funds either directly or via their pension funds.
Over the long run only a very small percentage of those investors will be lucky enough to invest
with active managers that will give better returns after fees. The rest have simply paid a
staggering amount of money to the financial industry over their investment lives." Investing
Demystified is a "must-read" for anyone who is not already a financial expert. Highly
recommended!

The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Gifted cartoonist Grady Klein and "The World's First and Only Stand-Up Economist" Yoram
Bauman, Ph.D. present The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change, a graphic novel designed to
introduce readers of all ages and backgrounds to the fundamental concepts driving the debate
about climate change (a.k.a. "global warming"). The authors are aware of the politically charged
debate behind the concept, noting that at least one scientific organization is not convinced that
humans are the dominant cause of global warming (while at least six other scientific
organizations are convinced that humans are culpable). Chapters walk the reader through basic
scientific concepts related to the current conundrum - the theory that carbon dioxide waste gas
from the human usage of fossil fuels, combined with human-led deforestation (forests help
capture and store carbon) and other factors, is effectively insulating the Earth and prompting an
overall rise in global temperature, with the potential to severely disrupt ecosystems worldwide.
Just how bad will the global effects be in the immediate future, in a hundred years, or even
further? The authors acknowledge that no prediction can be 100% certain, and recommend
pro-environmental policies as a form of "insurance" against the most catastrophic possible
outcomes. The final chapters weigh the pros and cons of environmental policies such as direct
regulation, carbon taxes or cap-and-trade, and promoting cleaner sources of energy. The Cartoon
Introduction to Climate Change is a "must-read" for its accessible, balanced, and non-judgmental
approach to an extremely thorny issue. Also highly recommended are the two-volume "Cartoon
Introduction to Economics" and "The Cartoon Introduction to Statistics".

The collaborative work of Michael A. Miller (Stream Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources), with environmental scientists Katie Songer, and Ron Dolen, "Field Guide to Wisconsin Streams: Plants, Fishes, Invertebrates, Amphibians, and Reptiles" is a beautifully and profusely illustrated, 336 page compendium providing a superbly organized and presented identification manual for more than 130 plants and 120 fish common to Wisconsin, as well as 8 crayfishes, 50 mussels, 10 amphibians, 17 reptiles, 70 families of insects, and a number of Wisconsin's other commonly found invertebrates. Enhanced with the inclusion of 735 full color illustrations, 467 drawings, 357 maps, a four page list of References, a Glossary, and an Index, "Field Guide to Wisconsin Streams: Plants, Fishes, Invertebrates, Amphibians, and Reptiles" is the perfect portable reference and is very highly recommended for Wisconsin's nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, as well as an indispensable core addition to Wisconsin's school and community library reference collections.